Broken Dreams
by angiembabe
Summary: Growing up is not always easy. Twins, Yugi and Atem (Yami) grew up not knowing who their real father is! Will their hopes and dreams for the future be crushed by their destiny? Will they win or lose the girls they love? Or will their hearts, and the hearts of their loved ones be broken along with their dreams, by the evil which is threatening to destroy the world?
1. Chapter 1

I'm back with another story. I have been working on this for a few months now and have got virtually all of it written up in rough draft. Hopefully, this will mean regular weekly updates. The story is AU but contains all the main characters and many of their interests will be similar to their canon characters. It will also have some of the characters from Ancient Egypt.

The main pairings are peach, vase and polar, but their will be some shock ones too! You will have to read on to find out to see what I mean.

Warnings! There will be some cheating and heartbreak. The odd bit of swearing, violence, sexual content, most of which is not graphic but I might change rating from T to M later on, if I feel it is necessary.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh or any of its characters.

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Broken Dreams

Chapter 1- Royal Bloodlines

This was the trip of a lifetime for eighteen year old Hana Mutou.

All her life she had wanted to go with her father on one of his adventures and at last he had conceded to pester power and let her tag along on his latest visit to Egypt.

For as long as she could remember, he had been a bit of an adventurer. He was also a master gamer and a bit of a charmer too! Her mother always told her that he was a law unto himself and she never asked where their money came from, but guessed that it was mostly winnings from various bets on games. Apparently, he had never lost a game in his entire life! But said that when he did, he would retire and open a shop that sold games!

Little Hana had always idolised her father. He would go off to his so called work dressed in a tuxedo and wore a super cool hat which reminded her of one of those old gangster films. But of course, he wasn't a gangster, he was her Dad and while outside the home he was seen as a ruthless gamer, at home he was a kind and loving husband and father.

When he went on his archaeology trips to Egypt with his good friend Arthur, he would swap his tuxedo for khaki trousers and a brown shirt with a red neckerchief, covered in white polka dots, along with an Indiana Jones style cowboy hat. He always had to look the part.

After checking into their hotel, they met up with Arthur Hawkins to discuss their plans for the week.

Arthur told them about a tomb he had recently found out about. It had been discovered several years previously, in the Valley of the Kings. The tomb was still intact because no one had successfully managed to excavate it.

The tomb was rumoured to belong to a young Pharaoh who died only a few months into his reign, under suspicious circumstances. There were rumours that his death was of a supernatural nature!

But apart from those rumours, nothing else was known because no one that entered the tomb returned!

A team of archaeologists had recently been given permission to use ground penetrating radar to map out the tomb. It had revealed a network of tunnels and chambers.

Against the advice of tomb keepers, a team of four people had entered the tomb last week and three had not returned. One man who was the first ever to survive, was now in hospital and was completely insane. He kept rambling on about Shadow Games.

Hana felt a shiver run down her spine when she saw her father's eyes light up with excitement. "Dad! You're not seriously going to try to enter that tomb, are you?!"

"Stop worrying Hana! I will go and speak to this man who survived before I make any decision." Sugoroku brushed off the suggestion that he would be risking his life. But if it was some sort of dangerous game, he knew he would be unable to resist temptation. If this _was_ the tomb he thought it was then it could confirm the research he had secretly been doing about ancient Egyptian's playing dangerous games using magic.

The following morning, they visited the site. The entrance to the tomb was small and was hidden in a part of the valley closed to the public. It was being guarded by security so they could not get very close. Sugoroku was disappointed as he had hoped to find out more about it.

After showing them the tomb, Arthur took Hana to visit some of the tombs that were open to the public. She had a wonderful day but could not stop thinking about the other tomb.

While Arthur took her to see the exhibits, Sugoroku visited the insane man at the psychiatric hospital where he was being treated. "Tell me, what did you see?"

The man was heavily sedated, but Sugoroku could see his eyes widen and roll madly in their sockets at the mention of the tomb. The man leaned forward and whispered. "They don't believe me, they say I'm mad!" He started giggling stupidly.

"I believe you." Sugoroku leaned in and narrowed his eyes seriously. "And I want you to tell me what you saw."

The man startled at the master gamer's serious tone and the words spilled out. "Shadow Games.." As soon as the man spoke the words his body went rigid and he started foaming at the mouth. His head lolled over to one side as he started fitting.

The nurse came running in. "What did you say to him?!" She glared angrily at Sugoroku.

"I said nothing Madam." He calmly got up and smirked saucily at her before tipping his fedora to her and leaving.

That night, Sugoroku visited a local pub. It wasn't hard to find a couple of useless idiots to help. After buying them drinks, he asked them if they wanted gold beyond their wildest dreams. He knew men like these would not be able to resist the lure of easy wealth. And as midnight arrived, the trio set out into the night on horseback. The two men, who turned out to be brothers, knew the desert like the back of their hands. They laughed at Sugoroku for wearing his tuxedo, but if this was indeed the ultimate game then he wanted to be dressed for it.

Sugoroku had worried that the security guards might stop them entering the Valley of the Kings this late at night. But was relieved to discover that security was poor. The only two guards on duty were happy to accept 100 US dollars each to let them through.

When the two helpers saw which tomb Sugoroku intended to raid they freaked out. "We are _not_ going in there!" The older of the two gasped.

"Why? Are you afraid?!" Sugoroku smirked.

"Yes of course I am! That tomb is cursed... I don't want to die," the younger, rather ugly one replied.

"We all die eventually," Sugoroku shrugged. "Would you rather die rich, or poor?"

The older man growled. "Fine, but you're going in first."

"Fine by me!" Sugoroku entered the tomb.

Hana woke up with a start at three thirty in the morning and was shocked to find her father had still not come back to their hotel room. Thinking he was still out drinking and playing cards with Arthur, she called Arthur's number.

Arthur had not seen Sugoroku since they had parted at eleven pm, but immediately guessed where he had gone. "That idiot! What was he thinking. I told him that tomb was dangerous."

"What do you mean?" Hana replied shakily.

"He was talking about entering that tomb. I told him it was too risky, but he is a stubborn fool who always thinks he knows best. I feel responsible so I must go and look for him."

"I'm coming with you."

Ten minutes later Hana was sat in the passenger seat of Arthur's Land Rover as they headed towards the Valley of the Kings.

It was still dark when they approached the Valley of the Kings at four fifteen in the morning. "What's that?!" Hana spotted a dark shape on the ground. As the headlights picked it up she recognised the shape. "Dad!"

Jumping out of the Land Rover they ran over to find Sugoroku laying face down in the sand with a bullet would in his shoulder. In his hands he was clutching a golden box covered in hieroglyphics.

Sugoroku lifted his head and whispered painfully to his worried friend and his daughter. "Hide this and keep it safe."

"We will old friend, but first we need to get you to the hospital." Arthur carefully helped his wounded friend up and into the Land Rover. He had many questions to ask of Sugoroku but they would have to wait.

Hana carefully placed the box in her backpack.

With her father in the hospital, Hana was left alone in the hotel room with the mysterious box. She had no idea what the writing on it meant, she would make sure she got Arthur or her father to translate it for her later. Inside the box, she found several small, solid gold pieces. It looked like a puzzle or something, but since it had come from that creepy tomb she was too afraid to try and piece it together so she put it back in the box, placed it in the room safe and went down to dinner.

The hospital were keeping her dad in over night. He had been lucky, the bullet had passed straight through and not done any serious damage, but he would need to wear a sling to keep from moving his shoulder around too much, for at least a couple of weeks.

While she was sitting in a quiet corner of the lounge bar, deep in thought and drinking a coffee containing a nice drop of brandy for her nerves, she was suddenly interrupted.

"Hello, may I join you?" At the sound of a deep, sexy baritone voice, she startled and looked up. The man was not tall but he was striking with beautiful plumb/violet eyes lined with khol. The corner of his mouth was curled into a half smile and he held himself with a confidence and poise that one would normally only associate with royalty. The most amazing thing about him was his hair, if her fathers hair was crazy, this man's was unreal. It was made up of almost jet black gravity defying spikes that glinted magenta on the tips and his face was framed by golden bangs, some of which shot skywards and blended in with the black spikes. He was wearing a simple white tee-shirt which showed off his well toned physique and tight black jeans that further accentuated his appeal.

"Y. yes," she stuttered, jaw almost hitting the table. He was about her age, gorgeous and he was talking to her!

"Thank you." He sat down. "I'm Atem by the way." He shot her a sexy grin, revealing perfect white teeth.

"I.. I'm H.. Hana.. Hana Mutou."

"Nice to meet you Hana Mutou." He offered her his hand which she noticed was soft and perfectly manicured, but still very masculine.

When she accepted the hand a spark of something jumped between them and she felt a tingle in her lower abdomen. Was this love at first sight?

She had never slept with a man she had only just met before. In fact, she had never slept with _any_ man before. She was still a virgin. But as she lead him to her room, it felt right.

Once undressed, she marvelled at his beautiful, tanned body. His lean muscular arms, his sculpted chest and abs that drew her eyes down down to his narrow hips and the most perfect butt... And oh! She blushed at the sight of his erect manhood.

They shared a night of unbridled passion. He brought out the woman from inside of her that she did not know existed, and when she awoke in the morning, she was shocked and heartbroken to find that he was gone.

Had he ever been here in the first place? She wondered if it had all been a wonderful dream.

However, five weeks later, she was getting worried. She had missed her period and a trip to the chemist for a testing kit revealed that she was indeed pregnant.

Sheepishly, she told her parents about the man she had met at the hotel while Sugoroku was in hospital. When she told them his name was Atem, Sugoroku almost spat out his tea in shock.

After Sugoroku had solved the riddle of how to get into the tomb, Arthur had been given permission to lead a team to excavate the tomb. Nothing had been officially announced to the public yet, but it was believed that it was the tomb of Pharaoh Atem. Little was known about him because he had only ruled for a very short time, during what was a turbulent time in Egypt's history. It was a period that really interested Sugoroku. The rumours he had heard about Egypt nearly being destroyed because of the dark and dangerous games they played using magic had always fascinated him. It was why he became an archaeologist in the first place!

While he had been recovering from his bullet wound he had begun researching this young Pharaoh. And his research had lead to him becoming involved with the Ishtar's, who's family could be traced back to the time of the tomb keepers from ancient times.

"How about another pot of tea?" Her mother smiled kindly at her daughter and got up, taking the teapot with her.

As soon as she had gone out to the kitchen Sugoroku leaned forward. "Describe this man too me?"

When Hana did so, he nodded and looked thoughtful. "He matches the description of the young man who saved me from certain death in that tomb. Only the young man I saw was dressed as a Pharaoh."

"You don't think?!" Her eyes went wide and she stared at her father in disbelief. She gently touched her stomach. He nodded at her knowingly.

"I think that you are carrying a very special baby." Hana couldn't believe how calm and matter of fact her father was being about it. She had been seduced by a 3000 year old Pharaoh for gods sake! How on earth was that even possible?!

They were in for yet another shock when Hana went for her twelve week scan. She was expecting twins!

The babies were born four weeks early. The first to be born was a 5lb 9oz baby boy who she decided to name Atem, after the mysterious Pharaoh. The second was born twenty five minutes later. Also a boy, he weighed in at just 5lb and experienced some breathing difficulties due to his low birth weight and slightly early arrival. But after spending a couple of days in an incubator the little boy, who she named Yugi, was well enough to breathe on his own and they were allowed to go home.

The twins were almost identical, but if you looked closely you could see that they had slightly different shaped eyes. Yugi was also slightly smaller than his older more confident twin. As their hair started to grow, Hana noticed that they both seemed to have the same sort of crazy hair their father had! To make her life easier, she kept it cut short while they were young.

They decided not to tell the boys who their father was. Hana wanted them to grow up as two normal boys and didn't want them to feel like freaks because they were different from other kids. If, or when they did ask, she would tell them that their father died on an archaeology trip to Egypt, before they were born.

However, Suroroku worried that one day the truth would have to be told. He had never believed in fantasy, but his experience in that tomb had opened his mind to magic and the supernatural. There had to be a reason why the young Pharaoh had saved him and allowed him to take the golden box containing the Puzzle. The Gods had to be involved too. Why had they had granted the same Pharaoh corporeal form so that he may father Sugoroku's two grandsons.

He decided to keep them safe for as long as he could. Whatever their destiny was, it could wait.

Not having a father meant that they both grew very attached to their grandfather and Sugoroku was only too happy to be their male role model. He would capture the boys imaginations with stories of his travels to Egypt, telling them bedtime stories about poison mummies and terrifying monsters. "Not before bedtime," their mother and Grandma would say. But the boys would squeal, "Grandpa! Tell us another scary story?" They would cuddle together under the covers and gasp wide eyed with fright but be excited at the same time.

Of course, not all the stories were scary, some were about the treasures he had helped to uncover. He would tell them how he and a fellow archaeologist called Arthur Hawkins had helped excavate the tomb of a Pharaoh who had died a hero. _If only they knew that the hero in question was their father!_ Sugoroku hated keeping such a secret, but wanted to educate them about Egypt anyway, so that when the time came for them to find out, they would hopefully understand. He did reveal that Atem was named after the Pharaoh though.

Being a master gamer, he also taught the boys many games and card tricks. Both boys had inherited their grandfather, _and father's,_ love of gaming.

Yugi was a very talkative, friendly boy who would have loved to have other friends to play games with him, but because he was too shy to ask people that he didn't already know, he often ended up playing them on his own. Because of this, he became a master strategist at quite a young age.

Unfortunately, when he sat and played on his own at school, many of the other kids saw this as a bit strange and tended to pick on him or avoid him completely.

Although he was just as clever at playing card and board games as Yugi was, Atem preferred more active games that required physical skill as well as mental agility. He was a born leader and after Sugoroku took the boys to see a game of football at the Domino Stadium, he knew that was what he wanted to do when he grew up.

Because of his sporting prowess and confident air, Atem was not teased as much as brother was. And sometimes, when the bullying got too bad, he would find himself getting into fights for sticking up for Yugi. But he loved his brother and would much rather take a few knocks himself than let his brother take a beating.

When they were still quite small, one of their favourite games during the dark winter evenings was playing hide and seek in the dark. They would ask their grandfather to hide somewhere in the house and pretend to be a monster. As the more confident one, Atem always insisted on leading the expedition into the darkness of an imaginary pyramid, trying to avoid the many traps and monsters blocking their way to find the mummy (which was usually their grandmother's dress makers mannequin.)

When Sugoroku jumped out and chased them, they would both scream and run to the safety of the brightly lit kitchen with their mother and Grandma, where they would giggle, relieved that they had managed to escape.

"You're a scaredy cat," Yugi chuckled when his supposedly brave brother screamed louder than he did when they bolted for safety.

"I only screamed because you did!" Not wishing to appear sissy, Atem proclaimed himself King of the dark. This prompted Yugi to start calling his brother, Yami, and it sort of stuck. Atem didn't mind too much, he was happy to answer to either.

For now, their lives were full of happiness. They were unaware of the destiny that awaited them. Would their happiness last?

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 **Well, that is how it begins! I hope you enjoyed it.**

 **Let me know what you think by reviewing, fav, follow etc... I usually respond to reviews and questions by PM.**


	2. Chapter 2

I had hoped to publish this yesterday. Unfortunately, I had some issues with my lap top and it crashed all my files. I thought I had lost all my work! Luckily, we got everything back again..

Warnings: Some swearing and a bit of violence.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh.

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Broken Dreams

Chapter 2. Not the Best First Day!

Approximately sixteen years later...

It was their first day at at high school. Yugi Mutou was excited, but could not help the feeling of trepidation that was coiling in the pit of his stomach.

He was almost sixteen but being fairly small for his age, looked closer to twelve. His size hadn't really bothered him at grade school because he had not been _that_ much smaller than most of his peers, and the younger pupils were mostly smaller than him anyway. It had only really become noticeable over the last year when nearly all the kids his age, including his brother, had started to shoot up and he hadn't.

Standing in front of his bedroom mirror, the feeling of trepidation grew when he saw his reflection.

While Atem's uniform looked good on him, Yugi's uniform, of navy blue blazer and matching trousers, looked a little baggy. Even when he hitched the trousers up and kept them in place with a belt, they were still too long and bunched around his ankles.

Apparently, the uniform he was now wearing, was the smallest size they had in stock. He looked like he was wearing a navy blue sack!

When they purchased the uniform, Grandpa had told him not to fret about it, saying he would grow soon enough. But while his brother had recently had a major growth spurt, growing several inches in a matter of months, Yugi was still waiting for his. It just didn't seem fair! He just hoped the other kids wouldn't start teasing him again this year.

Since Atem's growth spurt he had been a bit of a chic magnet! Yugi had lost count of the number of girls that had tried to attract his brother's attention in recent months. Yugi couldn't help being slightly envious, especially when his own girlfriend Anzu (well she wasn't exactly his girlfriend, yet!) kept flirting with Atem. Yugi hoped that when he finally had his growth spurt, he too would become a chic magnet. Maybe then, Anzu would finally see him as more than just a friend.

"Are you ready to go Yugi?" Atem walked up beside him in his perfectly fitting uniform and shot Yugi a lopsided grin via his reflection in the mirror.

"Yeah," Yugi nodded. "It's a shame Grandpa had to go on that urgent trip to Egypt. I know he wanted to be here to see us go off to high school for the first time," he said sadly.

"Well, it couldn't be helped. It's not every day that the new ambassador of the Supreme Council of Egyptian Antiquities asks you to meet with them in person," Atem replied, proud of himself for getting his tongue around her long job title.

Yugi grinned at Atem. "It's really cool, don't you think? I wonder what he..or maybe its a she, wants Grandpa for.. Perhaps they made a major discovery that they want Grandpa to help with. Egypt really excites me. I think I want to be an archaeologist when I graduate." Yugi's voice was full of excitement.

Atem snorted. "The dead don't interest me. Our dad would still be here if he hadn't been trying to dig up the dead," he said a little bitterly, but smiled anyway and patted his brother on the back. He would support Yugi's interest in following in Grandpa and their father's footsteps, even though archaeology left _him_ cold.

"But... Yami! You know what Grandpa said. It was a freak accident that caused Dad's plane to crash. You can't blame the dead."

The two boys trotted downstairs to put their shoes on. They both went quiet when their mother appeared. They realised that she must have heard them due to the sad smile on her face.

"Have a good first day you two." She handed them their bento lunch boxes and gave each of them a kiss. "Look at you both, I am so proud of you. I know your father would have been proud too." Deep down, she hated that they had lied to the boys about their father and how he had died. But Sugoroku had discussed it with the tomb keepers and it had been decided that it was for the best. Hana had not had any say in the matter, but went along with it because she wanted to protect her precious boys.

She was not bitter about what had happened and still cherished her memories of Pharaoh Atem from that one night they had shared. His gift to her had been her sons and they looked so much like him. Particularly Atem, or Yami as his friends called him. Even his voice was almost identical now that it had broken.

"Sorry Mum, we didn't mean to mention..." Yugi hesitated.

"It's okay sweetheart," Hana hugged her son. She released him but kept her hands on his shoulders and smoothed out his crumpled, oversize jacket. He looked too young and innocent to be going off to high school. She just hoped that he would be okay.

::::::::::::

Surogoku entered Ishizu's office, wondering why she had asked him to come all the way to Egypt. What could be so important? "Congratulations on your new role Ishizu." He greeted her with a polite hug.

"Thank you Sugoroku. I trust you had a good journey. Would you like some coffee?" She smiled when he replied that he did.

Sitting down with their coffee, Ishizu began. "I am sure you are wondering why I called you here in person? Firstly, I wanted to inform you that Mahado and I are to be wed."

"Congratulations, it's about time!" He chuckled. She remained serious and continued.

"The tomb keepers clan have also suggested that we keep a closer eye on the two princes now that they are starting high school. My Tauk has been active recently and has shown me that the future is in peril. Mahado and I are hoping to move to Japan in the near future so that we might be on hand should anything arise. I am also hoping to bring an exhibition of Egyptian artefacts to Domino Museum. Unfortunately, these things take time to arrange, so it is not likely to be until next year. We also have to apply for our work permits and visas which can also take time."

Surogoku nodded. "And what do I say to Yami and Yugi? I was hoping to hold off telling them of their true identity for a little longer. They are typical teenage boys and are looking forward to the future, like any other kids their age. Do you know when this trouble will arise?"

"Unfortunately not. I should hold off telling them anything for the time being, or at least until we know more. I am not sure what destiny has in store for them, or what role they are to play in all of this just yet. But when the time comes for evil to rise, you are to give Yugi the Puzzle. My Tauk has shown me that he is the one chosen to complete it. Beyond that, details are a little sketchy."

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Yugi had no idea of the conversation taking place in Egypt as he strolled into the playground with his brother at his side. His only concern was that he suddenly felt incredibly tiny. Some of the seniors were already eighteen and looked so large! Being naturally shy and quiet wasn't going to help him much either. Both his brother and Anzu had warned him that bullying was a bit of a problem in high school. Especially for kids that were shy and timid, making them easy targets for bullies.

Atem said that he would do his best to keep an eye out for him, but couldn't always guarantee to be around. So unless he learned to stand up for himself he would have problems.

A large gorilla of guy suddenly approached them. At only just over five feet tall, Yugi felt like a midget. Even Atem at almost five foot six was dwarfed by him.

"Mutou! What you doin bringing this little squirt to school with you? Shouldn't he still be in grade school?!" Atem knew this thug from the football club. He had little talent or skill, but terrified the opposition with his crunching tackles and bad attitude. He was only kept on the team because his father was a police officer and one of the coaches. Atem was always glad not to be playing against him!

The comment made Yugi shrink back slightly. The gorilla noticed and leaned towards him until he was right in front of Yugi's face and sneered. "Boo!"

The gorilla's breath smelled strongly of cigarettes. Yugi tried his best not to react, but could not stop the involuntary flinch. Sensing his fear the gorilla burst out laughing. "Man, this year is gonna be fun. I got me a little runt to torment."

Feeling nervous, Yugi stepped back slightly.

"USHIO!" Atem was now in between Yugi and the gorilla. "Leave my brother Yugi alone, or you will have ME to answer to." Despite pulling himself up to his full height he was still several inches shorter and carried a much leaner build than Ushio who was also a year older. He appeared to be no match for the much larger boy.

Anticipating a fight, an eager crowd was now starting to gather round. "Wow," Yugi heard someone murmur. "It's only the first day and Mutou has already challenged Ushio to a fight!"

 _Oh shit!_ Yugi thought. _It's only my first day and I am already causing trouble for Yami! That guy will kill him._ Yugi wished he had the courage to help his brother, but he was frozen with fear. He wanted to cry, but knew that if he did, the other kids would subject him to endless ridicule. So he just stood there and did nothing. He hated himself for it.

The gorilla, who Yugi now knew was called Ushio, suddenly swung a fist towards Atem's head. Atem had very fast reactions and saw it coming, so he was easily able to duck out of the way. "Missed!" He taunted. "You're too fat and slow Ushio."

 _What on earth is he doing taunting that bully like that?_ Yugi felt terrified for his brother.

Ushio growled angrily. "Fuck you Mutou!" He swung again and this time Atem grabbed his arm with both hands and using his bodyweight and momentum twisted it down and round in a full circle. Not wishing his arm to be broken, Ushio tried to follow the motion with his body. The result was that he lost his balance and ended up laying on the ground. He tried to lash out with his feet but Atem jumped out of the way.

Happy to see a well known bully being belittled, the crowd started laughing. Many of the students had been forced to hand over money and valuables to the oversized bully. Most were terrified of him and hated him.

Knowing that he wouldn't be identified, someone took the opportunity to pluck up the courage to shout. "Ushio you big ugly fairy." To which, loud laughter erupted.

Red faced and now fuming, Ushio launched himself off the ground and barrelled straight into Atem, knocking him to the ground and punching him in the stomach. He aimed another fist at Atem's head, but Atem managed to bring his arms up to parry the blow, but he was now in a very vulnerable position and things were not looking good. Ushio grabbed his collar and slammed him against the ground, winding him.

Seeing the terrible situation his brother was now in because of him! Yugi, at last managed to overcome his terror. He ran straight at Ushio throwing himself onto Ushio's back and gripping him in the tightest head lock that he could in an effort to pull him off his brother. The momentum Yugi had gained caused the pair roll away from Atem and Ushio ended up on his back with Yugi's body squashed underneath him. Yugi tried to maintain his headlock on Ushio but the thug managed to bring an elbow back and into Yugi's ribs, winding him and causing him to release his grip. Ushio grabbed Yugi's collar and stood up, pulling Yugi with him.

Atem meanwhile was staggering dizzily to his feet, clutching his stomach and coughing slightly. He saw Ushio grab Yugi by the collar with one hand and pull his other arm back ready to unleash a heavy punch with the other.

Because he was a bit dazed he wasn't able to get there in time. "No! Yugi!" He cried, knowing the punch would most likely break his brothers cheek or jaw.

Just at that moment, another boy emerged from the crowd. He was a tall boy with shaggy blonde hair. He grabbed the wrist on Ushio's raised arm and pulled him round. "Pickin on smaller kids are we? Ya fuckin coward!" He slammed his fist into Ushio's solar plexus with much force, causing the larger boys eyes to bulge in pain as he let out a loud groan and slumped to his knees coughing. A knee to the jaw sent him sprawling.

"Well well, wha d ya know! My first day at this school and I meet new dudes, who are just lookin for a beating. Katsuya Jonouchi's the name. You would do well to remember it." He stood over Ushio just in case he had any ideas about retaliating.

A loud cheer went up from the crowd.

Anzu had seen the crowd forming and decided to see what the fight was about. She hadn't expected to find her two favourite boys in the thick of it. "Yugi! Yami!" She came running over. "Are you hurt? Let me see?" She threw her arms protectively around Yugi.

While the fight had been going on, the teaching staff were all attending a final staff briefing in preparation for the new school year. They certainly did not expect a brawl to take place on the first day.

As soon as news reached the staff room, three of the male teachers and one of the female staff ran outside to intervene. When they got there, they found the senior hall monitor Ushio laying on the ground, with one of the new year ten students standing over him. They recognised the new student as the trouble maker who had been expelled from Rintama. The Mutou twins were there too, looking slightly roughed up. One was standing there with blood running from his nose. The other, who looked like he should still be in grade school had his face buried in the cleavage of one of the new female students.

This sort of behaviour was considered unacceptable and the school's good reputation was being put at stake. Boys fighting and a girl holding a boy's face against her chest in what appeared to be a promiscuous way, were against school rules!

All five students were summoned to the head masters office to explain their actions.

Despite being in trouble, Yugi couldn't help but grin as he walked towards the head masters office.

He had been friends with Anzu since they were six and been crushing on her on and off for the last three years. Of course they had hugged politely, as friends often do when greeting or saying goodbye, but she had never held him like that before! Had she even realised where his face had ended up? Probably not because last time they hugged they were the same height!

Ushio was being dealt with first, so they were told to clean themselves up a bit and then wait outside for the headmaster to call them in. Atem had suffered a nosebleed so he popped into the boys wash room to clean the blood off his face.

"Mutou Yugi!" The teacher snapped him out of his thoughts about Anzu. "Take that stupid grin off your face? This is no laughing matter!"

Yugi was not used to being shouted at and jumped slightly. "S..sorry S..sensei," he stuttered, bowing his head and shrinking into the plastic chair.

Atem joined them, his face was now clean but his shirt was stained with blood. "Mum's going to kill me when I get home." He slumped into the remaining chair next to Yugi.

From her seat on Yugi's other side, Anzu fretted. "I hope they don't write to our parents about this!" Her school record had been impeccable up until now and she really didn't want that to change.

The blonde haired boy sat in the chair opposite, picking at a bit of loose skin at the base of his fingernail. It wasn't exactly the best start to his first day at a new school either, but shit happened and he was used to it.

He looked up when someone spoke to him. It was the bigger of the two spiky haired kids. "You will make it sore if you keep doing that!"

"Huh! What?"

"Your finger nail. That's what my mum always tells me. I'm Atem by the way but my friends all call me Yami." He leant forward to offer a handshake. "Thanks for helping us out."

"No probs Ate.. Yami," he shrugged. "The little guy was about to take a bad hit and I couldn't stand by and do nothin." He accepted the handshake. "I'm Katsuya but everyone calls me Jonouchi."

Anzu looked over at him. "Hi Jonouchi, I'm Anzu. Thank you for helping Yugi."

At the mention of his name, Yugi's face reddened slightly with embarrassment. He really didn't like to appear needy and weak; especially not in front of Anzu. Girls didn't go out with weedy guys who couldn't defend themselves. "Y..yes, thank you Jonouchi, but I could have handled Ushio on my own," he smiled sheepishly.

Jonouchi grinned at him. "Really! Yeah, well it didn't look like it to me at the time. Guessing you don't want to look like a wimp in front of ya chick eh?" He blurted rather tactlessly.

Being referred to as 'Yugi's chick' annoyed Anzu; especially being called 'chick.' _Who does this loud mouthed yob think he is?_ "I am not..." she began tersely, but was cut off when the head masters door opened and a teacher stepped out and barked at them to be silent.

A snarling Ushio was escorted from the headmasters office and lead away by the teacher. "Watch your backs," he mouthed at them as he walked past.

Completely unafraid, Jonouchi just grinned at him and stuck his foot out, almost tripping Ushio. "Oops sorry! Just needed to stretch out, I got cramp."

Ushio contemplated retaliating but since he had just been threatened with expulsion, managed to refrain from doing so. He would wait until they were outside the school premises and then get them.

Jonouchi had some guts baiting the schools most notorious bully like that. The three teens sitting opposite him had to place their hands over their mouths to stop themselves laughing out in disbelief.

The deputy headmistress was standing in the doorway watching them. "Mr. Takeuchi will see you all now. And you had better wipe those silly smiles from your faces. Fighting and promiscuous behaviour are unacceptable at Domino and will not be tolerated."

 _Promiscuous! How dare she suggest such a thing!_ It took all of Anzu's will power not to answer the teacher back.

Mr. Takeuchi was surprisingly nice. He allowed them to explain their side of the story and nodded his understanding. Ushio was already on thin ice at the school, and if it was not for the fact that his father was in the police force, he would have already been expelled by now.

After giving them a few words of advice about avoiding any further trouble, he let them go to their classrooms.

As good fortune would have it, Atem, Yugi and Anzu found that Jonouchi was assigned to the same class as them, along with another boy, who turned out to be good friends with Jonouchi, called Hiroto Honda. Yugi didn't particularly like him at first because he had bullied Yugi after Grandpa had thought it was a good idea for Yugi to go to the local youth club to help him make more friends. Honda had been at the club and had been pretty mean to him; deliberately walking across a floor puzzle Yugi was doing and making a point of stepping on Yugi's fingers in the process. Honda had also taken the money his grandfather had given him to buy some sweets. After that, Yugi had refused to go to the club again.

However, once they all got to know one another Honda apologized for the torment and actually paid him back the money he had taken from him.

They all became good friends, and at last, Yugi had some friends to play some of his games with.

* * *

 **I hope you enjoyed.**

 **Please review/fav/follow etc...**


	3. Chapter 3

Here is the next chapter. I have been asked about romantic pairings for this. Without giving too much away, there will be my favourite ones plus a few surprises. Might even throw in a few lemon and limes. If you wish to enjoy all these crazy mixed up pairings, then read on ;-)

There is some flirting, a little bit of swearing and mentions of violence.

Also a reminder that I do not own Yugioh.

* * *

Broken Dreams

Chapter 3. Rejection.

Sugoroku had been behaving a little strangely since he had returned from Egypt. The boys were keen to know all about his trip, but all he had said was that it had turned out to be a surprise wedding. Yugi was disappointed- he had been looking forward to hearing all about some exciting new discovery; not some boring wedding.

It had now been three months since Atem and Yugi started high school, but Sugoroku still kept telling them to be careful where they went and to let him know if anything strange happened. This morning was no different.

"We will be fine Grandpa," Yugi laughed. "The worst thing that can happen will be Jonouchi getting into trouble again!" He had no idea why their grandfather was being so overprotective lately. He even wanted to keep tagging along when they went out with their friends!

"Yeah, stop worrying about us Grandpa. There hasn't been any trouble since Ushio, and we have plenty of friends," Atem reassured him.

"Well, don't talk to any strangers and let me know should you see anything odd, okay?" They would probably laugh at him if he told them that the make believe monsters from the games they played when they were little were real and could come after them at any moment!

Yugi laughed and scratched the back of his neck. "You are funny Grandpa. We're sixteen, not six. So stop worrying."

"I'm sorry, but I can't help it Yugi. You are my precious grandsons. I forget you are now young men. But please... humour this old man and watch yourselves? Don't go anywhere dark or secluded."

"Look, if it makes you feel any better, we promise never hang out where there are gangs and we promise never go anywhere on our own, at night," Atem reassured him.

"Okay," Sugoroku sighed. "Just make sure you don't come home on your own after training tonight Yami, and Yugi, make sure you walk home from school with your friends."

"We will, bye Grandpa." The two boys set off for school feeling a little bemused.

"Jeez, dunno what's got into Grandpa lately." Yugi stated.

"Yeah, I wish he would trust us more. I'm getting fed up with being chaperoned everywhere. It was embarrassing when he followed me on that date with Kiyomi the other night," Atem groaned.

Yugi sniggered. "That _was_ funny though Yami, you have to admit."

"Not from my point of view it wasn't." Trying to explain to a girl why his grandfather was hiding in a bush, watching them while they kissed goodnight, was something he never wanted to happen again. The girl didn't want to go on a second date with him because she thought he came from a family of perverts!

Sugoroku watched them go and then went back inside the shop. Sighing, he unlocked the door to the store room and pushed aside some boxes to reveal a small safe that was hidden there. He took out the box containing the Millennium Puzzle and studied it. When he picked up a piece of the puzzle and held it in his hand, he felt his hand tingle. He felt sure the power was growing stronger.

Carefully he put the piece back in the box and placed it back in the safe. The thought of giving it to Yugi to complete worried him. When he had tried to complete it himself, the puzzle pieces had either made him all confused, become too hot to touch or had given him severe head pain. He was worried about inflicting such power on a boy who seemed far too innocent to withstand such power.

He just wished Ishizu knew more and could give him more guidance. All this waiting around was getting to him and he was starting to feel his age from all the stress. From what Ishizu had said, the evil could attack within the next year or it could be several years. It was terrible not knowing what or who your enemy was going to be, or when it would strike.

::::::::::::

Since Yugi had made new friends, the bullying had more or less stopped. No one wanted to mess with a kid who was best friends with Jonouchi!

Very few people knew that underneath the tough exterior, Jonouchi had a big soft heart and was loyal to people he considered friends. And despite he and Yugi having very different backgrounds and personalities, they seemed to gel. There was no way any of the bullies would dare pick on Yugi now!

Knowing Yugi had someone else to watch out for him was also a relief for Atem. He could now concentrate on his football training without worrying about Yugi being picked on and teased. It had made him smile when they arrived at school this morning and Yugi was immediately greeted by his friends.

He had been particularly pleased for Yugi when Jonouchi had come running up to him brandishing a pack of playing cards and asked Yugi to teach him some cool tricks. Several other kids gathered round to watch and had been impressed by Yugi's skill. It appeared his brother was starting to come out of his shell and was growing in confidence again. Atem remembered how powerless he had felt when the bullying had started around eighteen months ago. It had been heartbreaking to see Yugi become so quiet and withdrawn. But it seemed the cheerful, happy boy Atem had grown up with was starting to re-emerge.

Leaving his brother with his friends, Atem set off for his football training.

As he jogged out onto the track to begin his warm up, he spotted Anzu sitting in the stands overlooking the pitch. _What is she doing here?_

"Hey! Yami?!" Anzu called out when she spotted him looking at her. _Wow, he looks sexy in those shorts!_ She felt herself blushing at the sight of his lean but well sculpted legs. She had seen Yugi in shorts and his legs were short and skinny! They didn't look anywhere near as good as Atem's did.

Her smile was wide and beaming with a slight hint of a blush. She seemed to be checking him out. He was pretty sure she still had a crush on him, which made him feel awkward. He had known her since she had become friends with Yugi on their first day at elementary school.

Lately, she had made a point of spending more time with Yugi and Yugi had taken this as her being interested in him romantically. Yugi had told Atem that he really liked her and was hoping that they would become a couple. But Yugi was too shy to make the first move so they hadn't really progressed beyond friends.

Recently, Atem found it slightly embarrassing when Anzu came round when he was there, because her body language would become slightly flirtatious towards him and she would keep trying to engage him in conversation.

Of course she was pretty, and under any other circumstances he would be there like a shot! But he could never hurt Yugi so he tended to either ignore her and only give mono syllabic answers in an attempt to get the message across that he was not the one she should be flirting with, or go out of the house to escape. It seemed that she was oblivious to his disinterest.

It was obvious to Atem that Yugi had noticed her flirting with him, but he was too polite to say anything. Although he had confided in Atem that he worried about not being strong and tall enough for her.

Atem paused as he jogged past the bleachers where she was sitting. "Where's Yugi? I thought you were walking home with him."

"Oh! He said he would come and watch your practice match, but changed his mind when Jonouchi suggested they went to the arcade to play games instead."

"Why didn't you go with him?" It came out a little more bluntly than he intended.

Anzu shrugged. "I find it boring. Honda and Ryou went as well and they always get so engrossed in their gaming that they ignore me and I feel like a gooseberry."

"Oh! Why are you here then?"

"Yugi said you were really good at football and I wanted to see for myself." It was a lame excuse and she knew it. She already knew how good he was.

"I'm not playing a proper match. It's just a seven a side training game, so it's not really worth you staying. I suggest you come to the match on Saturday. _With_ Yugi!" He hoped she would get the hint.

Clearly not! "We could go and get a drink or something, after you've finished?"

"I will be going to the sports bar with the guys afterwards. You might as well go home now- before it gets dark."

"Oh!" Seemingly disappointed, she frowned and looked away hurt, making Atem feel really guilty.

"Look, er.. okay. I will be about 45 minutes, then I need to shower. We can have a quick drink afterwards and I will see you home safely." It would give him a chance to explain that he was not interested and perhaps tell her that she should be chasing Yugi, not him.

He left her and jogged over to where the team coach and the other players were waiting. As he did so, some of the other boys wolf whistled.

"Who's the hot chic then Yami?" Ryuji Otogi asked. "I'm surprised I haven't noticed her before! Is she your girlfriend?"

Atem flicked his team mate on the nose. "No! She's my brothers girl, so don't go getting any ideas."

He knew that Otogi had few principles when it came to women. It didn't seem to bother him if they already had a boyfriend. If he took a fancy to a girl, he flirted with her like crazy, showering her with gifts and compliments to woo her into his bed. Of course once he got what he wanted, he usually ditched the love struck girl and moved onto his next conquest!

"Hey, you two Romeo and Casanova?!" Coach blew his whistle to get their attention. "You are not here to discuss your love lives. You're here to train. I don't care how good you think you are... any slacking and you're off the team. Got that?"

"Sorry Mr. Karita." The two boys nodded.

"And that applies to the rest of you slackers! If I catch any of you not putting in 100% for Saturday's game, you are out. I got a whole bunch of kids lining up to take your places."

Mr. Karita was well known as a hard task master. He pushed them to their limits. Right now he had a talented bunch of lads and the team were flying high in the Inter School League. He had high hopes for his two star players. Mutou and Otogi. Scouts from several of the top teams were showing an interest in the two boys. He wanted them both to succeed because it would look especially good for him as their coach.

::::::::::::

Anzu felt nervous as she waited outside for Atem. _Am I doing the right thing?_ She wondered. _I really like Yugi as a person, but I'm not sure about him romantically. He kinda looks a bit too young for his age. But Yami is older, more mature and so sexy! I just wish Yugi looked more like him then it would be easy to choose as I find Yugi's personality so much easier to like. Yami can be a bit hard to talk to sometimes._

Just then the door swung open, jolting her from her thoughts. She looked up to see several boys emerging, laughing and joking from the changing rooms. Among them Atem.

"Behave yourselves." A tall boy with dark hair and a dangly dice earring winked and slapped her bottom as he walked past. He obviously thought highly of himself.

Anzu immediately became indignant. "Why you!" She straightened up, ready to slap him and tell him she thought he was a moron and to get lost, but Atem grabbed her arm.

"Ignore him, he's a loser and can't get a girlfriend," Atem grinned at his friend.

"Ha, ha. Very funny. Catch you later Mutou." Otogi slapped his friend on the back and smirked giving him the middle finger sign as he walked off towards the bar.

"Up yours too.. Otogi!"Atem laughed, turning his attention back to an angry, embarrassed Anzu. "Ignore him. He thinks all women find him irresistible."

"Yeah, well I think he's a moron and loser. Come on lets go. I know a nice little sushi bar we could go to." She linked her arm through his and lead him outside. Atem felt a bit awkward when she grabbed him, but didn't pull away.

The sushi bar was fairly quiet at this time of day. Six thirty tended to be the lull between afternoon service and the evening rush, so they were easily able to get seated.

Conversation was difficult between them, with Anzu trying to be chatty and friendly, while Atem just grunted or gave one syllable answers.

 _Sheesh, he is hard work,_ she thought. _He acts like he would rather be somewhere else._ "Is your food okay?" She enquired, watching him tilting and swirling his cola around in the glass. He hadn't touched his sushi.

"Oh! Yeah." He was trying to work out how to let her down gently. He cleared his throat. "What do you think this is?" It came out completely wrong.

"Sorry! What do you mean?" She frowned, not sure what he was getting at.

"Crap! I'm not very good at this am I," he said, more to himself than Anzu. "I mean, us... you and me. What do you think this is?" He sounded quite intimidating.

It suddenly dawned on her what he was getting at. It felt like he was giving her the brush off. "Well... It's just two friends having a drink and a bite to eat together. What do _you_ think it is?" She said, turning his question onto him. She wasn't about to let him intimidate her.

"Like you said, two friends having a drink. I... I don't know what you want from me? As much as I like you... and in any other situation I would willingly ask you out on a date, but it's wrong. You should be sitting here with Yugi not _ME_!"

"I would be if he hadn't gone off playing games with Jonouchi, Ryou and Honda." She sounded a bit miffed. "And besides, whatever Yugi has told you, we're not dating, he's not my boyfriend. We're just friends. So I can go out with who I like."

"You might say that, but you two spend a lot of time together and I know Yugi really likes you. He just doesn't have the confidence to ask you out properly, so he just goes along with the whole friends thing. If he knew we were spending time together or thought we were seeing each other he would be heartbroken."

"So, is that why you have been behaving like this? And just for the record, I don't want to go out with you. You're arrogant and pig headed and you have been ignoring me which is rude. Yugi is far nicer than you are."

"Good! I'm glad to hear it, because I have no intention of asking you out. And just because I appear confident does _NOT_ mean I'm arrogant," he growled loudly. Their voices were getting raised. A few people were trickling into the restaurant now and were glancing at the arguing couple.

Anzu noticed the looks they were getting and felt her face heat up. "I think you had better take me home now, people are looking at us."

"Okay. I will just get a take out for this sushi." He got up and marched over to the counter to ask for a takeaway box.

They walked to the bus stop in silence. Luckily they didn't have to wait long for a bus.

As soon as they were seated, Anzu asked. "So, Yugi really likes me? I kinda hoped he did. Sometimes he sort of drops hints, but I'm never sure where I stand," she said quietly to him.

He glanced at her and nodded. "Yes, he does. It's up to you how you deal with it, but if you don't like him that way, please don't string him along. I don't want to see my brother get hurt."

They continued the journey in an awkward silence and when the bus pulled up at their stop, Anzu was relieved to get off.

The two teens only lived around the block from one another. Being the gentleman he had been brought up to be, Atem walked her to her door.

She looked at her feet to avoid eye contact and bit her lip. "I'm sorry." She scraped her shoe over a bit of loose gravel.

Atem sighed. "Look! I'm sorry if I have given you a hard time. I just have Yugi's well being at heart." He stood a little uneasily, with his hands in his pockets, also looking at his feet.

"I know," she said quietly. She reached forward and touched his shoulder. "Look, I do like Yugi, really I do. It's just difficult. I have known you guys as friends for years and now we are growing up and feelings are changing. Yugi is the sweetest guy ever and I love him, but I just don't know if it is in _that_ way. He kinda looks too young. It seems I have grown up physically but he hasn't caught up yet. Going out with him is like dating a little kid."

Atem looked up and his face twitched angrily at her words.

Anzu sighed. "I'm sorry if that sounds harsh, but it's how I feel and I'm confused. The reason I like you is because you look how I wish Yugi would look. Maybe in time he will look more like you."

"If you really liked him looks wouldn't matter. And I can tell you that it was not long ago, I was small and weedy too. We are late developers... although I'm not quite as behind as Yugi is. But before long he will grow and when he does you had better hope that he still likes you and hasn't given up and found someone else." He turned to leave but Anzu caught his arm.

"Atem!" She addressed him by his real name and leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you... For putting me straight. I promise not to break Yugi's heart. I _will_ tell him how I feel."

"Yeah, well don't leave it too long. Good night Anzu." He turned and left. She stood on the porch and watched him walk away, hands in pockets, until he turned the corner and disappeared from view. She sagged and let out a anguished sigh.

::::::::::::

"Hey Grandpa! Mum! I'm home." Atem bounded up the stairs into the spacious accommodation area above the Kame Game Store. He found them in the kitchen preparing the evening meal. "Is Yugi home yet?"

"Yes, I will be dishing up in ten minutes. Perhaps you could go and tell him. He came rushing in about half an hour ago and went straight up to his room without stopping by. He shouted out that he had homework to do," Grandpa informed him.

"Oh! Okay, will do." Atem trotted up the second flight of stairs that lead to the upper floor which housed his and Yugi's small but comfortable bedrooms and their mother's much larger room. Their grandfather's room was on the first floor to save him climbing the extra stairs too often, which were steep.

The door to Yugi's room was closed and he could hear music being played. It sounded like Coldplay. He knocked. "Can I come in Yugi?" There was no answer. _Strange!_ "Yugi! I'm coming in, okay?" He opened the door and stepped inside.

Yugi was curled up on his bed wearing a pair of grey sweat pants and a white T-shirt. His uniform was in a pile on the floor and appeared to be torn and dirty. "Yugi! Are you alright?" Atem felt a sense of dread.

"I'm fine. Go away." His voice was strained and cracked.

"Dinner will be ready in ten."

"I'm not hungry."

"What happened Yugi?!"

"Go away."

Atem ignored his brother's plea for him to go away and sat down on the bed and rubbed Yugi's arm, causing him to flinch. It was then that he noticed the bruising on his upper arm. It looked like a boot mark. He instinctively went to lift Yugi's shirt up but Yugi turned slightly to grab his wrist to stop him.

"I said I'm okay, now leave me alone," he growled angrily.

IAtem saw that his face was bruised and he had a small cut to his eyebrow and lip. "Who did this to you?" He unintentionally raised his voice angrily, causing Yugi to flinch slightly. "I'm sorry. I didn't meant to shout. Let me see? We need to check out your injuries."

"I don't want Grandpa and Mum to see me, they will get upset," Yugi said miserably. As he sat up he winced in pain and touched his side.

"I don't think this is easy to hide Yugi. C'mon let me look at you?" He helped Yugi remove his shirt.

Atem cringed when he saw the deep bruising on Yugi's ribs. He gently touched Yugi's bruised, swollen face and carefully tilted his chin up for their eyes to meet. It was obvious that Yugi had been crying and that he was embarrassed about it. Atem felt his own tears start to well up at the sight of his brother. _What bastard could do this to such a good, kind, precious soul?_ "I promise I will get whoever did this to you and make them pay," he hissed, clenching a fist. By the extent of the injuries he was worried that Yugi may have cracked ribs, a fractured jaw and maybe some broken teeth. "Let me see if you've lost any teeth? Can you open your mouth?" Getting him to open his mouth would also help ascertain if he had sustained a fracture to his jaw.

Yugi didn't feel as if he had lost any teeth, but did as told. Although he could feel where he had bitten his tongue and made it bleed.

Atem was relieved that Yugi's teeth were all intact and that he didn't seem in too much pain opening his mouth. "Good, your teeth and jaw are okay. How about your ribs. Does this hurt?" He touched Yugi's side and the smaller boy recoiled in pain and hissed.

"Ow! Yami! that hurts."

"I think we need to get you to hospital to get checked out," he said seriously.

"NO!" Yugi glared at him in horror.

"We have no choice. I think your ribs are broken." He gently wrapped his arms around Yugi and cuddled him. "It will be okay, I promise. I will go and tell Grandpa while you get yourself ready."

He helped a reluctant Yugi up from the bed.

Their mother gasped and as Yugi suspected she would, burst into tears at the sight of him.

"Who did this to you Yugi?" Sugoroku was beyond angry. "I want to know. I intend to ensure they are prosecuted for assault."

Yugi was still reluctant to name the culprit or recount what had happened, but told them as follows:

After they had spent an hour or so at the arcade, he had left with Ryou, Jonouchi and Honda. Honda had his motorbike and bade them farewell. Ryou went home in the opposite direction. Yugi had walked part of the way home with Jonouchi before they had to split up and go in different directions to get home.

Yugi was convinced that he was being followed, but could not see anyone when he turned off the main road to take a short cut through a small park. It was then that Ushio confronted him and demanded money. Of course Yugi refused and told him as bravely as he dare, to get lost.

His refusal to give in had cost him. Ushio's foul temper flared and he punched Yugi in the face. Yugi had proven stronger than he thought and had not been felled or knocked out by the blow, so he had hit him again to the jaw and then kneed him in the abdomen. When Yugi crumpled to the ground, Ushio kicked him in the ribs and then aimed a kick at his head. Yugi had covered up and the kick caught him on the upper arm.

After the brutal assault Ushio had held a knife at Yugi's throat and told him that if he didn't cough up the 20'000Yen by tomorrow, he would slit him open and gut him like a fish.

Marching off, he left Yugi to stagger home to lick his wounds and find the cash.

Hearing Yugi's explanation made Atem's blood boil. He was always careful not to use bad language in front of his mother, but could not hold back this time. "Fucking bastard." He punched the door with force. It hurt his hand but he didn't flinch. "This is all because of ME. Ushio hates me, but I always fight back. He is such a coward he has to pick on smaller kids who can't fight back. He has hurt Yugi to get at me. I _will_ make him pay!"

"No! Atem!" His mother spoke up. "I am not having my sons getting into trouble for using violence. I have brought you both up to be anti aggression. There are better ways to deal with it. I will report this to the police."

"Your mother is right Yami. Firstly we need to get Yugi to the hospital, and we can inform the police to come and see Yugi there." Sugoroku squeezed his eldest grandson's shoulder comfortingly.

Their mother placed her arm gently around Yugi's shoulders. "Come on sweetheart. Let's get you to the hospital."

"I'm sorry Mum," Yugi murmured.

"Don't be." She kissed his forehead and stroked his hair. "Oh, my baby boy." Her bottom lip was trembling with emotion. Why would someone be so vicious to her baby. He was such a sweet, kind boy and so gentle. He hardly ever said a cruel word to anyone and was always so trusting. She wanted that bully Ushio brought to justice.

 **Poor Yugi. I can't believe that I am being so cruel. He is probably my favourite Yugioh character!**

 **In these early chapters, he is very much like he was in season 0 manga. Unfortunately, he was always getting beaten up early on.**

 **Please review.**


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you for favs and follows. I promise to try and make this story as entertaining, suspense filled and enjoyable as I possibly can.

Warnings: There is some swearing and a poorly Yugi in this chapter.

Sadly, I don't own Yugioh.

* * *

Broken Dreams

Chapter 4 – Feelings

The conversation with Atem was making Anzu confront her feelings for Yugi. She had always taken the close friendship she had with him for granted, but how did she _really_ feel about him?

Sitting at her desk with a piece of paper, she made a list of all the things she liked about him versus all the things she did not like. She did the same for Atem.

When she looked at her finished list, there were more things she liked about Yugi than she did about Atem.

The thing that struck her the most, was that things she disliked about Atem were qualities she adored in Yugi and visa versa.

Both boys were good looking; Atem slightly more so, due to Yugi's face still being child like.

She thought Atem was arrogant, whereas Yugi was humble.

Yugi was fun to be with and made her laugh. Atem was moody and often refused to acknowledge her.

The only thing she could think of that was stopping her from dating Yugi was that he was four inches shorter than her, looked like a little kid and was at times, rather timid. Was that really a good reason for not dating someone? If she didn't want people at school laughing at her, then yes!

Was she really that shallow? "Probably," _s_ he sighed and flopped forward bumping her forehead on her desk.

Perhaps he would have a growth spurt soon and his height gain would make him less timid. If that happened then she would not have to sit here agonising with herself over her feelings.

In the mean time, could she be resilient enough to put up with the taunts from the other girls about her dating a guy that many of her peers referred to as a nerdy midget? She would certainly do her best to ignore them. Those 'popular' bitches would laugh on the other side of their faces when he grew up and became an irresistible hunk.

Steeling her resolve, she decided to ring him and ask him to walk with her to school in the morning so that she could ask him out on a proper date.

::::::::::::

Just as they were about to leave, Yugi's phone rang. Atem was just locking the door behind them when he heard it ringing, from where Yugi had left it on the table when he had come home earlier.

He picked it up and saw the caller id was Anzu. He rejected the call and took the phone with him to give to Yugi in the car.

"You have a missed call from Anzu," he told Yugi as he handed him the phone.

Behaving slightly out of character, Yugi snatched the phone. "Huh!" He noticed that despite his injuries, Yugi's eyes suddenly lit up at the mention of her name. Atem felt saddened. Poor Yugi was in love with a girl who didn't love him back, and was instead crushing on his brother. Why did everything always have to be so fucked up?

The phone buzzed as a message from Anzu came through. **How was the arcade? I was thinking we could walk to school together tomorrow:-) x**

Yugi found that he was unable to type his reply due to the pounding sensation he was starting to feel in his head. "Fuck!" He dropped the phone on the seat.

Everyone in the car was shocked. Yugi rarely swore. "Yugi! Are you okay?" Atem wondered.

They were even more shocked by Yugi's terse reply."What's it to you? Why would any one give a shit about me?" His words were also sounding a little slurred. His behaviour worried Atem, he had seen a guy knocked out playing football. He had become agitated and appeared to behave like he was drunk. They had taken him to hospital and he had been diagnosed as having severe concussion.

"I think you might be concussed Yugi. The doctors will check you out." Luckily they had now arrived at the hospital.

Atem picked Yugi's phone up and asked Yugi what he wanted to say to Anzu. Yugi's response was slightly aggressive. "I'm not going to school like this!" He tried to swipe the phone from Atem's hand.

Yugi was unable to stand up properly when he got out of the car, so was settled onto a trolley bed and wheeled into the casualty department.

Atem rang Anzu to explain the situation. Understandably, she was extremely distressed and said that she would get her father to bring her to the hospital right away.

When the doctors tried to examine Yugi he became agitated, kicking out at them with his feet. "Leave me alone!"

"I'm so sorry, he is not normally like this." Yugi's mother started crying again. Sugoroku tried to comfort her. Seeing Yugi like this was upsetting.

Atem grabbed Yugi's wrist as gently as he could. "Yugi! Calm down, the doctor is only trying to help you." He tried his best to soothe Yugi and it seemed to help for a while, until Yugi made an uncoordinated attempt to hit him. Atem found it alarming how Yugi had deteriorated so quickly.

The doctor explained his visual diagnosis. "I am concerned that he may have an injury to his head, it would account for his behaviour. We will take him for a CT scan to asses the damage. You are all welcome to wait here for him to return. If he doesn't calm down we may have to sedate him."

Atem held his mother's hand, while Sugoroku sat anxiously, with his hands clenched tightly in his lap. It seemed that things may be worse than they had thought.

"Where is Yugi?" Anzu came rushing in looking pale and afraid. Somehow she deemed it her fault that Yugi had been beaten up by Ushio. If she had been with Yugi instead of trying to get off with his brother, this might not have happened. She sat down next to Sugoroku and waited.

All four of them stood up nervously as Yugi was wheeled back into the treatment bay.

The doctor explained that Yugi had bruising to his brain, and the swelling was causing pressure on build inside his skull. He had not become ill immediately because it had taken time for the swelling to build. The doctor also explained, that while the bruising to his face looked bad, there were no fractures and no damage to his eye. He also had stable fractures to his ribs and some bruising to his torso and arm.

Yugi would need to be kept in the hospital to monitor his condition. If the pressure became too much, he may need an operation to relieve it and to prevent any long term brain damage.

The police had been called and would be coming to take statements from the family.

"Oh Yugi!" Anzu was the first at his side, gently taking his hand in hers. "If only I had been with you. I could have protected you."

The comment was made innocently, but in this condition Yugi was less inhibited with his words and his thought process was altered. Feeling emasculated by her suggesting she could have protected him from Ushio, he took offence and pulled his hand away. "Yeah... like you, a girl, could have done anything. The last thing I needed was to worry about keeping you safe," he slurred.

"I. I didn't mean it like that! I.."

"Just leave me alone. You don't like me, so just go out with my brother instead. I know you prefer him." His head injury was making him speak his mind.

"I don't prefer him. I like _you_ Yugi.."

"Stop it. Go away. I know you don't mean it." He wrapped his arms around his head as if trying to hide from her.

Why couldn't everyone just leave him alone? The bright lights were hurting his eyes, making his head pound. He was tired and wanted to go to sleep, but everyone kept fussing over him like he was some sort of invalid that was too weak to look after himself. He was sick of everyone treating him like a child that needed protecting. _I'm sixteen for fuck sake!_ He wanted to shout at them all, but it took too much effort. And why did the doctors keep poking him about? Couldn't they see he was injured? The room was starting to spin, or was it him moving. "Urghh." He rolled onto his side when the unpleasant feeling of nausea made the contents of his stomach lurch.

Hearing Yugi groan and heave. His mother instinctively grabbed the bowl the nurse had left for them to use just in case Yugi was sick, holding it under him and gently rubbing his back in soothing circles. Just as any mother would for her child.

"Anzu!" Atem grabbed her arm. "I think you should wait outside. Yugi is not very well and you're making things worse. Please..." He pulled her outside the cubicle.

Believing that she was the cause, Anzu began to cry "Oh God! Yugi! Is he going to be okay?" She was frightened for him. He never acted aggressively or said cruel things to hurt people.

"Look! Why don't you wait here. We will give you a lift home later, okay?" He knelt down in front of her as she sat down in the plastic chair. "Yugi has suffered a serious head injury. It's making him behave differently. He doesn't mean what he says."

"Yes he does. It's making him speak his mind. I deserve it. I have been a bitch, flirting with you," she sniffled.

"Right now that doesn't matter. What is important is that we are all here for Yugi. You can make things right when he is feeling better."

She nodded and wiped her tears away. "It's just so horrible seeing him like that. Why does it always take something bad to happen to make you realize how you feel about someone?"

"I don't know. Would you like me to get you something to drink?"

"No, I'm okay." She shook her head. "Can you talk to Yugi for me, when he is better?"

"I will tell him there is nothing between us, but you will need to speak to him yourself."

Just then two police officers approached. "Excuse me? We're looking for Yugi Mutou," one of them spoke.

Atem stood up to face them. "I'm his brother, Atem."

The officers, a man and a woman bowed. The man introduced himself as Inspector Ito and the woman as Senior Officer Date. "We understand you wish to file a charge for an assault on Mr. Mutou."

"Yes, we do.. You should speak to my grandfather." He introduced the two officers to Sugoroku and his mother.

They looked over at the boy laying on the bed. His mother and the nurse were just making him comfortable after his vomiting episode. "Would it be okay to talk to Yugi?" The female officer asked.

Yugi lay there mumbling and swearing to himself as his mother gently wiped the vomit from his chin.

"I'm afraid my grandson is not well enough to be interviewed at the moment. Perhaps we should talk outside." Sugoroku led them away from the cubicle. "Yugi is normally a nice polite boy. The doctors say he has a head injury- it has made him behave quite oddly."

They nodded their understanding. "Is there anything that you can tell us about the incident?"

"No, I am sorry. I don't know anything about the attack. You will need to speak to Yugi. All I know is that a boy from his school called Tetsu Ushio, attacked him on his way home. My other grandson Atem may be able to tell you more than I can. But from what I do know, this Ushio is a well known bully. We want him charged for what he has done to Yugi."

"Thank you. We have Tetsu Ushio's details, we will speak to him this evening. Senior Officer Date will arrange with the doctors when it will be suitable for us to speak to Yugi." The two officers left. They didn't let on that Ushio was already known to them. Not only was his father a police officer, he had previously been cautioned for actual bodily harm, but the charges had been dropped by the student concerned after Ushio had put pressure on him.

::::::::::::

Ushio was sprawled out on the sofa playing Grand Theft Auto. His mother was in the kitchen washing the dishes. Ushio didn't help his mother clear up, he was too lazy and she was far too afraid of her aggressive son to ask him for help.

His father was a senior police traffic patrol officer and had left to start his night shift a little earlier.

Upon hearing the doorbell ring, Ushio remained where he was; he could not be bothered to get up and answer it. "Hey! Mum. Get the door will you?"

Mumbling to herself, his mother wiped her hands and answered the door to see the two police officers, Inspector Ito and Senior Officer Date standing there with stern expressions. Her immediate thought was that something terrible had happened to her husband. She almost heaved a sigh of relief when they demanded to speak with her son.

Rising slowly, Ushio smirked. "What do you want?" He was not intimidated by the police.

"That's no way to greet us Tetsu," Inspector Ito smirked. "Were here to talk to you about a student by the name of Yugi Mutou. Do you know him?"

"Yeah, little runt goes to my school. Him and his brother tried to cause trouble for me a few weeks back. What about him?"

"Is that why you attacked him?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I think you do. We would like you to come with us to answer a few questions about a vicious attack on Mr. Mutou earlier this evening."

"What if I refuse? I don't know anything about it."

"Well, if that's the way you want to play it Tetsu, I don't think your father will be very impressed when he hears we have had to arrest his son, will he?"

"Please Tetsu, don't cause any trouble. Go and speak with them. They will soon realise that you are innocent. My son came straight home from school today Inspector and has been here all evening." Both police officers could tell that his mother was lying to protect him. It was obvious that she was afraid of her own son.

::::::::::::

Butterflies were dancing nervously in Anzu's stomach as she exited the elevator to the head trauma ward.

Atem had called her to say that Yugi had a restful night and that his condition had improved over the course of the day. He was now more coherent and wanted to see her.

Today had been awful for Anzu. Not only had she been feeling upset about Yugi being hurt and about the way he had spoken to her, she was also racked with guilt about flirting with Atem. To make matters worse, her parents had made her go to school today.

Of course Atem had not attended school that day, which left Anzu the odious task of explaining what had happened to Yugi last night, to Jonouchi and Honda. As expected, Jonouchi completely lost it and wanted to go and kill Ushio. Honda had to restrain him to stop him storming out of school. He refused to listen when Anzu tried to tell him that the police were dealing with it.

During the morning, many vastly exaggerated rumours started to spread. The worst being that Yugi had been left fighting for his life after being stabbed and beaten so badly he was blinded and disfigured. One boy even laughed and asked Anzu if it was true that Ushio had raped Yugi. Of course it wasn't true! She punched the boy on the nose and ended up in the headmasters office. Anzu was then sent to the school counsellor where she became tearful and poured her heart out about her confused feelings. It had been embarrassing to say the least! But in truth Anzu felt much better; the counsellor had been very understanding and helpful. It was her job, after all, Anzu reasoned.

Getting out of the lift, she looked around and tried to get her bearings. Confused, she walked over to the desk where the nurses were sitting doing paperwork. "Excuse me! Can you tell me where Bluebell ward is please?" Anzu asked one of the nurses for the name of the ward where Yugi supposedly was.

"Yes, you need to go back to where you came up in the lift. Go through the first set of doors on your right and it is the fourth door on the left," the nurse sitting at the desk smiled.

"Thank you." _Jeez this place is like a maze!_

Following the directions she was given, Anzu now stood in the entrance to the ward. It appeared to hold four beds. Three were occupied. Peering in she could see Yugi in the bed to her left facing towards the window. He couldn't see her from his position and was sitting up, chatting to his brother. _Oh boy!_ She put on what she hoped was a relaxed, friendly smile and walked in. "Hey guys." She gave Yugi a timid little wave. "How are you feeling now Yugi?"

"Sore head, sore ribs, but I'll live." He gave her a weak smile.

Atem got up and offered Anzu his seat next to Yugi. "I will go and get a coffee and leave you two to catch up." He gently patted Yugi's shoulder and briefly glanced at Anzu before he left.

"Well, this is a nice ward! You have a good view from the window." She was trying to break the slightly awkward tension.

"I can't really see out of the window from where I'm laying," he answered flatly.

"Oh... Well take my word for it, it's nice."

"Does Jonouchi know what happened to me?"

"Yeah, he went ape. Wanted to go and kill Ushio, but Honda managed to stop him."

Yugi chuckled. "Sounds like Jonouchi." He paused for a moment. "Sorry if I was rude to you last night. I don't remember much, but Atem said I was kinda..outspoken! I wasn't thinking straight. I didn't mean what I said."

"I'm the one who should apologize Yugi. You were being brutally honest. You said things that you would normally be afraid to say," she smiled weakly.

"Maybe... I don't know. C..can you tell me the truth Anzu?" She shivered slightly at the look he gave her, even though it was not cold. She had expected this: He wanted some answers and she was afraid that he might end their friendship.

"You fancy my brother, don't you?" He continued. "It's okay, I understand. I would fancy him over me any day, too. He's everything I'm not," he said with a hint of resignation.

Anzu studied him. She could see the miserable expression on his swollen, bruised face. "No, of course I don't!" Then she remembered he wanted the truth. "Well, maybe a little. Or I thought I did.. now I'm not so sure."

Yugi huffed in response. "Thought so. All the girls go crazy for him. Don't get me wrong, I'm not jealous. It's just... well, I'm not exactly in his league am I?"

"Stop putting yourself down Yugi! Just because you are not as tall or confident as he is doesn't mean you are not as good as him! I admit, he is kinda hot, but only because he looks a bit older and a bit more mature than you. He's also the school football star. In a year or two when you have grown a bit, you might be even hotter than he is!"

"That's it isn't it? He's the sports star and everyone loves him. What am I good at?" He looked at her for an answer.

"You are quick to learn Yugi. You can pick up any game and master it really quickly. You can solve riddles and puzzles that baffle everyone else. You are kind and thoughtful and look out for others. You could be good at sports too if you tried.. I know you can run fast."

"Yeah, running away from bullies!" He snorted. "And look where it gets me? Teased, taken advantage of and beaten to a pulp." He pouted slightly. "I knew you only came round because you hoped to see my brother, but I pretended that it was me you wanted to see. Lets face it Anzu I'm a loser. I like a girl who is only friends with me because she feels sorry for me and she really likes my brother!" He huffed at his gullibility.

Anzu felt herself getting a little bit angry with him. "That's not true Yugi. How can you say that?! I became friends with you when we were six, remember? I thought you were kinda cute with your spiky hair and friendly smile. Those mean girls wouldn't let me play with them and you came over to me blushing shyly and offered to play with me instead. You tried to teach me to play that hand held game and when I threw it on the ground and broke it because I got frustrated, you didn't get angry at me, you just laughed and gave me an easier one to play the following day. I have been thinking about how my feelings for you have grown since then Yugi, and there is more to us than just good friends. I have been resisting it because I'm afraid of these feelings."

"Why would you be afraid of liking me that way?" Yugi was concerned.

"I don't know. Perhaps I'm frightened that if things didn't work out, our friendship would not survive. I also worry that..." There was no easy way to say it. She bit her lip. "Even though you are a couple of months older than me you look younger. I know I'm stupid, but I was worried what people would think." She felt awful when she saw his body sag slightly and the disappointment was evident in his frown.

"So you are embarrassed about going out with me because people will think you are dating a grade schooler. I knew it!" He hissed angrily, making Anzu flinch slightly. He seldom got angry with her.

"I was. I'm not any more. Anyway, I'm sure you will have your growth spurt soon and then it won't matter," she said hopefully.

"I need to think.. work out if I can forgive you Anzu. I know you went to see my brother at training yesterday. If there is ever to be an _us,_ I need to know you have got him out of your system."

"Atem was just a stupid crush.. Like I ever stood a chance anyway. All the girls at school fancy him. He's the hot shot footballer and he knows it. I bet they will all be after you when you have your growth spurt!"

"Yeah, right, like that ever happens." He laughed and then flinched at the resulting pain from his broken ribs.

"Are you okay Yugi?" She leaned close to him and put a gentle hand on his shoulder.

He looked at her. She was so close and he wished he could pluck up the courage to kiss her. "Yeah, ribs are still pretty painful. "I like you massaging my shoulders though. They feel a bit stiff."

Taking this as a hint, she gently rubbed his shoulders for him. "Well, as I recall, Atem was pretty small until a few months ago, so I'm sure you are going to be just like him Yugi."

"And you will fancy me then?"

"If I can fight off all the competition and you will still have me?"

His next action took her by surprise. He touched her cheek and tilted her face towards him. And even though his lip was swollen and bruised and his body hurt, he leaned forward, kissing her gently on the lips. It was just a quick kiss, nothing more, but it was full of hope and love.

An awkward moment passed between them before Anzu was able to react. "Y.. Yugi." Her lips brushed gently against his as she spoke. She was about to give in to the urge to kiss him back when a loud, boisterous voice interrupted their moment.

 **Ahh, cute little moment between Yugi and Anzu. I have been a bit cruel to Yugi so far, but I can assure you he is going to be okay, and hopefully they can work out their feelings.**

 **I wonder, who has interrupted them?!**

 **Please review.**


	5. Chapter 5

Here is the latest chapter. I'm not sure when I will get to post the next chapter as I am going to be pretty busy next week and doubt I will get the chance to post anything on Christmas day! And I'm sure most of you will be too busy to read it anyway. But I will aim to get it edited and proof read in time to post on Boxing Day.

Anyway, not many warnings for this chapter. A bit of suggestive behaviour and slight cursing. I should also point out that when I refer to football, I am not referring to American style football. I believe that in the USA football is actually called soccer. In the coming chapters, there will be more mentions of football along with the appearance of another familiar character.

Also, I have to point out that I do not own Yugioh.

* * *

Broken Dreams

Chapter 5 It's a Date.

Finally! The right room at last. Jonouchi had been blundering up and down the corridor looking for Yugi for thirty minutes before realising that he was on the wrong floor of the hospital. He had wondered why all the beds were occupied by women; it turned out that he had been on the women's gynaecology ward! Now he understood why that woman shouted pervert at him when he peered into a room expecting to see Yugi laying there. He had been carrying a newspaper with a magazine tucked inside that had pictures of scantily clad young women in provocative poses, which he hoped would cheer Yugi up a bit, and he couldn't help grinning at the thought of his pals happy reaction when he saw the magazine. Unfortunately, the woman thought that he was leering at her in a lecherous way and screamed!

Eventually, after managing to persuade staff that he was not a peeping tom and was in fact, lost, he had made it to the right ward.

In his usual 'bull in a china shop' way, he barraged into the room and was immediately confronted with the sight of his little buddy Yugi with Anzu sitting close to him. In fact _very_ close! If his eyes were not deceiving him, it appeared they were kissing. "Meh he... Way to go you two. Yeah, get it on Yuge!" He made a rude fist pumping gesture with his arm.

The moment she heard his voice, Anzu jumped back from Yugi and quickly stood up, her face beetroot red.

Yugi's face may have been beaten up but Jonouchi could still see his expression was a mixture of boy being caught with his fingers in the cookie jar and that of being proud of himself.

"Haa.. hi Jonouchi." He was really happy that his friend had come to visit him, but wished he could have waited five more minutes because he was pretty sure that Anzu had been about to kiss him back.

Spotting the lewd look on Jonouchi's face and seeing his crude gesture, Anzu aimed a punch at his chest. "Stop being a pervert Jonouchi! We weren't doing anything you idiot." He ducked to one side and covered himself up, using the newspaper to parry the blow. The punch caught the back of his shoulder, so she kicked him in the shin instead.

"Ow! Anzu, stop it will ya? No need to turn violent. I was only joking!"

On the bed, Yugi was in severe pain from trying very hard not to laugh.

A nurse suddenly appeared and angrily told them to be quiet or leave. Apparently there were some very sick people in the hospital.

"Noo.. you don't say!" Jonouchi mouthed behind her back as she turned to leave and making yet another rude gesture with his finger.

Yugi and Anzu were not used to this sort of disrespectful behaviour towards superiors; or towards anyone for that matter! While Yugi thought it was funny and wished he could be a bit more of a rebel like Jonouchi, Anzu found it appalling. "Jonouchi!" She snapped. "Learn some manners, you lack any respect. Did you get dragged up in the gutter or something?"

"As a matter of fact, yeah, I did. My folks split up when I was a kid and I was left with my drunken bum of a father. I had to fend for myself from age ten. So yeah, I ain't had your nice upbringing. So perhaps your highness can teach me how to behave?" He raised his eyebrows at her in a smirk.

Anzu snorted and shook her head in bewilderment. "I think you are beyond help Jonouchi!"

"Oh, I don't know," Yugi interjected. "Hang around with us and we will soon have you toilet trained," he giggled and then winced. "Oww.. my ribs."

"Serves you right for taking the piss." Jonouchi sat on the chair next to the bed and started tucking into the grapes Yugi's mother had left on the side for him. "Seriously though Yugi. How are you feeling man? I should never have let ya walk home through the park by yourself. Grghhh." He balled his fists in annoyance. "When I get my hands on that bastard I'm gonna rip his head off."

"It's not your fault Jonouchi. I don't need babysitting," Yugi assured him. "I wasn't to know Ushio was following me. And please don't do anything, the police are dealing with it. Ushio will get punished. Yami said he is likely to be expelled from school."

"Hey, Jonouchi!" Atem came back into the room with their mother.

"Hello sweetheart." Yugi's mother bent over him and kissed his forehead. "You're looking better this evening."

"Hey Mum. Did the doctor say if I can go home?" He asked hopefully.

"I'm afraid they want to keep you another night." His face sunk at her news. "It's for the best," she continued. "They need to make sure you rest properly. If you promise to take it easy they will let you home tomorrow."

Yugi pouted. He really wanted to go home tonight. He cheered up a bit when his mother handed him some brand new packs of duel monsters cards. "Your grandfather sent you these booster packs from the new shipment that came in today."

"Yeah," Atem pouted. "You should feel honoured Yugi, you know how stingy he is. He made me pay for mine."

"Yugi chuckled. "I bet he makes me work an extra shift for no pay when I'm better."

"Ooh, you boys are mean about your grandfather, he's not that bad. And besides, profits are tight."

When the time came for everyone to leave, Jonouchi lingered. "I nearly forgot to give you this Yuge. Something to cheer you up!" He winked.

"A newspaper?!" Yugi blurted, looking at him in slight confusion.

"Not just a newspaper," Jonouchi leaned in and whispered.

"OH!" Yugi's face lit up when he realised what Jonouchi had hidden in the paper. "Thanks Jonouchi!"

"What are you two whispering about?" Anzu had heard Yugi's surprised voice and came back into the room to find out what it was all about.

The two boys gulped and Yugi felt his face reddening. He hoped she wouldn't notice the guilty look on his battered face.

"Why would Yugi want yesterday's paper?" She narrowed her eyebrows suspiciously at their guilty expressions. "Let me see?" Before either boy could react, she snatched the paper and shook it. The magazine fell out onto the floor. Anzu bent down and picked it up.

"Jonouchi! This is disgusting! Why are you giving it to Yugi? You know he doesn't read this sort of.. filth!" Behind her, Yugi was looking disappointed.

"But... but.." Jonouchi was cringing away from her and trying to plead for his life.

She huffed angrily when Atem reappeared. "Perhaps I should dispose of that for you?" He offered, looking longingly at the magazine in her hand.

"Hmph! Men! You're all the same." She shoved the magazine at Jonouchi. "Take your filth and don't let me catch any of you reading this sort of thing again. It's disrespectful to women." She turned and marched away to catch up with Yugi's mother, leaving the three boys looking like whipped puppies.

As they turned to leave, Jonouchi quickly threw the magazine to Yugi. "Hide it before anyone sees it," he whispered.

Yugi caught it and hurriedly shoved it under the covers, where no one would see it. "Thanks Jonouchi," he mouthed happily. Maybe another night stuck in the hospital wouldn't be so bad after all.

::::::::::::

Armed with painkillers, Yugi was allowed home the following morning. He was under strict orders to rest and exert himself as little as possible.

Before leaving, he donated the magazine to the very grateful man in the next bed.

The first thing Yugi did when he got home was have a nice soak in a hot bath. It did wonders to ease his extremely sore, aching body.

Drying himself off, he gently patted his bruised torso dry. He pulled on his pyjama trousers and looked himself over in the bathroom mirror. The bruising had now well and truly come out leaving his left eye puffy and bloodshot and the side of his face swollen, with varying degrees of deep purple and blue. It was still quite painful to touch. His chest area was no better. He had been given some ibuprofen gel to rub onto his ribs. Stiffly trying to reach his hand round to his side, he attempted to apply some of the cold gel.

"Yugi! That looks awful! Do you want me to help you?" Atem appeared at the bathroom door and noticed that Yugi was struggling to twist his stiff body round to apply the gel to his back.

"Yeah, I can't quite reach round. Not sure if this stuff helps anyway," he complained.

"It's an anti inflammatory, so it should help ease the pain a bit and reduce swelling." Atem squeezed some onto his fingertips and gently worked the cream onto his brothers side and back around his rib cage.

"I look like something out of a horror show," Yugi grumbled.

Atem chuckled. "You don't look that bad. There, you can put your shirt back on now."

::::::::::::

Yugi spent the next week resting at home. He was pleasantly surprised at the number of cards and well wishes he received from his classmates. He always assumed that no one really cared about him, but the little poems and gifts he received confirmed otherwise. It seemed they saw him as some sort of hero for trying to stand up to Ushio and having the courage to press charges, getting the feared and disliked teenager expelled. All the students and even some teachers felt safer now that the notorious bully was gone.

During the week that he was at home resting, his friends came round to visit him each day after school. Even people he hardly knew came to visit! Although, he suspected that one or two came out of morbid curiosity about his injuries than real friendship.

Of course, this endless stream of well wishers meant that he was unable to get any time alone with Anzu. He was keen to follow up on their little moment at the hospital. He knew the longer they left it the more likely it would be that they would just go back to how they were. One thing he did notice though, was that Anzu had been making quite a bit of fuss over him this past week.

The following Monday, he was given permission to go back to school, providing he took it carefully and did not do anything too strenuous for at least the next three weeks. And he was told to report to the school nurse immediately, should he experience any dizziness, headaches or blackouts following his head injury.

The week went fairly well and his friends made sure that he definitely did not do too much. Even Mr. Karita, the PE teacher was good enough to let him sit out the lesson, which turned out to be one of his commando style gym sessions.

Luckily, he was a fast healer, and by the end of the week he was starting to feel less sore and could move around a little easier. He doubted he would get away with being allowed to sit out Mr. Karita's lessons for much longer!

Because the summer holidays were now fast approaching, Yugi vowed that he would definitely ask Anzu to go out with him so that they could spend them together as much as possible. Unfortunately, there always seemed to be people around and he didn't have the confidence to ask her with the others listening.

It was nearly one week later, when at last he managed to get some time alone with Anzu. His brother was at the gym, Jonouchi had his paper round and Honda was busy trying to flirt with Miho during her Burger World shift. While Ryou was doing an after school first aid course.

Yugi had hung around for half an hour in the library, waiting for Anzu to finish her class representatives meeting. A meeting that Honda should also have attended!

She was standing at her locker when he approached. "Hi Anzu," he said cheerfully.

"Oh, hi Yugi. I thought you had gone home! Didn't your Grandpa pick you up today?"

"No, I told him I was catching up on work I had missed and would get the bus. He keeps fussing over me too much and trying to wrap me in cotton wool."

"Yes, well it has only been just over two weeks, you still have to be careful not to over exert yourself. How are you getting home?"

"I'm well enough to walk. I don't need babysitting," he pouted. "Anyway, I.. I wanted to ask you, if you, if you.." Damn, he just could not get the words out.

Anzu stood waiting expectantly. _He's going to do it, he's going to ask me out!_

"Wanted to help me with this work. I'm a bit behind on the assignment." _Crap! Why couldn't I ask her?_ It almost felt as though their little moment at the hospital had never happened!

"Oh! Of course I will Yugi," she smiled sweetly, but underneath she was disappointed that he hadn't asked her on a date.

"Thank you he beamed. Do you want to come back to my place now to do it?" His face went pink.

While they were walking, he kept looking at her hand. He really wanted to entwine his fingers with hers, but every time he tried, his arm refused to move.

Anzu noticed he kept glancing at her. Their eyes suddenly met when they both stole a glance at the same time. Turning pink, they quickly looked away.

Seeing his hand was very close to hers, Anzu let her hand brush against his, letting it linger for several seconds and willing him to close his hand around hers.

Feeling her hand touch his, he stopped walking and looked up at her. "Anzu! Will you go out on a date with me? Like a proper date and not just as friends?" He blurted it out a little too quickly.

She blinked in surprise at his sudden outburst, before smiling."Yes Yugi, of course I will." They tentatively brushed fingers before he grabbed her hand in his and held it as they started walking again.

He squeezed her hand gently and couldn't hide the slight smirk on his face when he found himself hoping that everyone who saw them walking would know they were girlfriend and boyfriend. "Where do you want to go on our first proper date?" He asked her.

"I don't know! It's up to you Yugi."

"I'm still getting headaches, so the cinema or anything loud is out and my ribs are still tender, so I can't really go to the theme park." He wasn't sure what else to suggest.

"Then why don't we just go for a coffee somewhere and then have a stroll along the beach?" She suggested.

"Yeah, that sounds great. How about Saturday afternoon?" He knew she had ballet lessons in the morning.

He spent the rest of the week on cloud nine. He was actually going out on a proper date with Anzu.

Thankfully, Atem was playing a football match on Saturday afternoon so he wasn't there to tease Yugi as he got ready for his date. He spent ages in the shower and then brushed his teeth twice. Studying himself in the mirror, he was fairly happy that most of the bruising to his face had faded almost completely.

He tried to style his hair differently, but then gave up when it refused to do anything other than stick up in its usual way.

Taking care not to spill any, he unscrewed the lid on the bottle of cologne he had rushed out to purchase this morning, after overhearing a couple of the girls at school talking about how sexy guys smelled when they wore it. He dabbed some on his chest. He was not sure how much he should put on so he tipped a bit more in his hand and slapped it all over his body. When he started sneezing, he worried he might have overdone it!

Now what to wear? He ended up with half his wardrobe strewn all over the place. He knew better than to wear his school uniform!

In the end he wore a pair of smart jeans with a thick black studded belt and a smart/casual yellow and white patterned short sleeved shirt. It was very warm out today, so he decided not to bother with a jacket. A pair of black Nike runners finished his look and he was ready.

Casually, he strolled downstairs to the game store and tried to leave as quickly and quietly as possible. "See ya later Grandpa. Just off out to meet my friends." He rushed towards the door so that Grandpa wouldn't bombard him with questions.

"What's that smell Yugi? Is that you?" His grandfather said with a knowing smirk.

"Smell! Oh that! I accidentally spilled some aftershave."

"Enjoy your date Yugi. And remember to be careful. No dark or lonely places!"

Not getting that Sugoroku meant for him to be safe from potential attack, Yugi cringed at the hint that he would drag a girl into a dark alleyway! "Bye Grandpa, I'm running late, gotta go!" He hurried out before his grandfather could say anything else to embarrass him. _Grandpa has been weird lately!_

On the way to Anzu's house he couldn't help himself from stopping to pick a pink rose from Mrs. Tanaka's front garden. She had several rose bushes and they were laden with blooms at this time of year, so she wouldn't miss one! He glanced around to check no one was watching and deftly plucked a bloom that was overhanging the small fence. As he walked, he carefully picked off the thorns with his thumb nail.

Smiling, he rang the doorbell to Anzu's house and held up his single rose, ready to present it to her in a romantic gesture. Her father answered and immediately, all his composure crumbled. "M.. Mr. Mazaki. Is is A.. Anzu in?" He bowed humbly and nearly dropped his rose.

"Is that rose for me?" Mr. Mazaki teased. Yugi's face went bright red in response.

"N.. no its for.." He swallowed nervously, "Anzu."

Not wanting to further embarrass the poor boy, Mr. Mazaki opened the door wide. "You better come in." When Yugi walked past he caught a whiff of Yugi's cologne and nearly choked. "She's in her room. I will call her." He shouted up the stairs to tell her Yugi was here.

"Okay, be right down," she called in response.

When she appeared on the stairs, Yugi's eyes nearly popped out of his head. She looked more beautiful than ever in a pretty buttercup yellow summer dress and matching slip on pumps, which he noticed had virtually no heels; obviously chosen so that she would not tower over him. "You look amazing," he gasped, handing her the rose.

"Thank you Yugi, what a lovely rose." She leaned in and kissed his cheek causing him to blush again. "Ooh! Is that cologne you're wearing?"

"Yes, do you like it?" He asked cautiously.

"Yes, you smell nice, but perhaps try putting on a little less next time," she winked. "I will just go and pop this rose in some water and then we can go." When she disappeared to the kitchen, her father turned to Yugi and glared down at the small teen.

"I have no objection to you taking my daughter out, but you had better take care of her. And no funny business okay?" He knew Yugi quite well, but had never considered that his daughter might become romantically involved with the boy. Not that he objected them dating; Yugi had good manners and was well brought up. But he was still a boy, and he knew how boys could behave. Like him or not, he did not like the idea of his little girl getting into a relationship.

"Y. yes Mr. Mazaki," Yugi nodded nervously. "I promise to honour and respect Anzu." Mr Mazaki was fairly traditional so he made sure he bowed humbly.

Anzu reappeared. "Bye Dad. Come on Yugi, lets go!" She grabbed his hand and pulled him outside shutting the door behind them. "Sorry Yugi, my Dad is a bit over protective sometimes, what did he say to you?"

"Nothing much," he shrugged, "just that I had better take good care of you."

"Well, don't let him intimidate you Yugi. It's up to me who I go out with," she said defiantly.

Since Domino was a busy working port, they took the bus to a nearby town just along the coast, where there was a nice coastal path along the beach that lead up on to the cliff top. There were several walks of varying distance which were popular with joggers and walkers. They opted for the three mile route that took them in a loop back to the town. Yugi held Anzu's hand as they walked. Later on they found an amusement arcade where Anzu watched as Yugi beat all the high scores on the games he played. They then found a nice little cafe and had okonomiyaki, followed by ice cream sundaes, while watching the pleasure boats coming in and out of the harbour. "Do you want to go on the glass bottom boat trip?" Yugi suggested.

"What a good idea. I haven't done that since I was nine and my grandparents took me," she replied. They finished their ice creams and then went and purchased tickets for the next trip.

By the time they caught the bus back to Domino it was starting to get dark. Yugi made sure he walked her to her door. He desperately wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her but was far too shy to act on his desires, so he stood with his hands in his pockets while she fumbled for her front door key.

Eventually finding the keys right at the bottom of her bag, she turned to him. "Thank you Yugi, I really enjoyed our day out together. I will see you tomorrow." They had arranged to spend Sunday hanging out with the rest of their friends.

"I'm glad you had a good time," he smiled. "Erm... I better be getting home then." He shuffled from foot to foot.

Anzu noticed how he was hesitating slightly. She waited for a few moments to see if he would actually kiss her, but when he just stood there and did nothing, she leaned in and hugged him lightly, placing a kiss on his cheek. He instinctively stood on tiptoes to reduce the hight difference and tentatively placed his hands on her waist. He was just about to find the courage to kiss her when she suddenly released him quickly and scurried indoors before he had the chance.

But he felt good. The day had gone really well and he had really enjoyed spending it with her. He was pretty sure that she felt the same.

As soon as she was inside, Anzu's shoulders sagged and she sighed. Why had she suddenly lost her nerve? She wanted him to kiss her and then just as she was sure he was about to, she had panicked and left him standing there. Maybe it wasn't too late! If she opened the door and went back outside, he would still be there.

Steeling her resolve, she went to open the door back up when her mother called out to her. "Ahh, Anzu sweetie. You're home! Did you have a nice time on your date with Yugi?" She enquired.

"Yes Mum. We went on the glass bottom boat. You know? The one Granny and Grandpa took me on for my ninth birthday."

Her mother started chatting to her and Anzu realized that she had lost the chance to run back outside to Yugi. Never mind, she was sure there would be plenty of other opportunities. She just hoped that he didn't take her running indoors like that as a brush off!

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 **Please review, fav, follow.. etc...**


	6. Chapter 6

Okay, I probably shouldn't have done this, but I completely re-wrote this part of the story to make it a Christmas edition! Originally, when I drafted this chapter, I had no idea that I would be posting it on Christmas eve. I hope it doesn't seem too rushed because I wrote the whole thing yesterday afternoon and this morning. I have given it a quick edit, but I apologize if I have missed any grammatical errors. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it.

There is a little bit of innuendo and some mild sexual content... Call it a lime! I tried not to be too explicit and have left it as a T rating, but if you think it should be upped to an M, please tell me as I tend to be impervious to censorship, as we don't censor sexual content in the UK as much as they do in the USA.

I would like to wish all my readers a happy Christmas and New Year. Thank you all for your support with my writing. I never, ever imagined myself as a writer, but over the last year and a half since I started, I have come such a long way.

Lastly, I don't own Yugioh.

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Broken Dreams

Chapter 6. Ho Ho Ho...

Ishizu found it infuriating how slowly things happened in Egypt. Nine months had passed since she applied for permission to take an ancient Egyptian exhibit to Domino Museum. Her request had been filed away somewhere and forgotten. It was now nearly the end of December!

The situation had not been helped by a change of government in recent months and the new government placed such requests at the very bottom of their list of priorities. She had been round all the different departments trying to find out who had the authority to grant her permission, but no one seemed to know, or care, who was now dealing with her request. Eventually, she had managed to bump into someone who had managed to get the ball rolling – at long last!

A meeting had been arranged and Ishizu arrived on time, but been told to take a seat and wait for Mr. Kamil to return from his business meeting. She had now been sitting here waiting, for nearly forty five minutes, and was in no mood for any more lame reasons as to why she could not be given permission to temporarily leave her post as Head of Egyptian Antiquities, in the trusted hands of her half brother and assistant, Rishid, so that she could go to Japan and supervise the exhibition in person- and of course, be close to the princes.

Her husband Mahado had already used his 'magical' charm to successfully apply for a position at Domino University. And their visas for entry into Japan had now been approved.

"Ahh Ms. Ishtar! Many apologies for keeping you waiting. My meeting went on longer than I expected." Ishizu stood as a short, overweight man in a crumpled, dark brown suit came hurrying into the office. He pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the beads of sweat from his brow and held out the other hand for her to shake. She noticed that he reeked of alcohol, cigars and cheap perfume. She guessed that he had kept her waiting because he had been enjoying a long lunch - paid for by the public purse - followed by a visit to the brothel!

"That is quite okay, I had little else planned this afternoon," she replied through gritted teeth. "I came to speak to you about my request for..."

"Yes, yes, your exhibition in Japan," he sounded impatient.

"I would be most grateful if you could give it your urgent attention. Only our visas have now been issued."

"Hmm, and what is this exhibit you are planning. You know that it is forbidden to remove valuable artefacts from Egypt?"

"Yes, I do, which is why I will be overseeing the exhibit personally. I would also point out that most of the items we are planning to take, are in fact, copies of the originals."

Mr. Kamil started rummaging through his filing cabinet until he got to 'I' "Ah...here we are... Ishtar," he mumbled, as he pulled out her letter of request, which had been sat in the filing cabinet for several months now. Without reading her letter, he scribbled his approval and signed. "Here, I don't really have time for this nonsense." He handed her the signed copy of his approval.

"Thank you." Ishizu wanted to jump up and down for joy! After all these months of waiting, it had been as simple as that! And there she was expecting to have a fight on her hands. But this fat oaf obviously couldn't give a damn.

At last, they would be able to go to Japan and just as her vision had demanded, be close to the two princes. Beyond that, all she knew was that the safety of the world would be threatened once more and that she and Mahado would play a role in trying to prevent its destruction. Sugoroku's grandsons had been gifts from the gods and were both central to stopping this.. evil; just as their ancestors had before them. Unfortunately, she did not know when or how this evil would strike because the visions her Tauk gave her were vague at times. When it granted her visions, they were often cryptic.

Generations of Mahado's, and her own ancestors had been waiting. The Millennium items had been closely guarded by the select few and handed down through the generations, while they waited for a sign from the gods that the time was near.

The day the Pharaoh had visited Hana – resulting in the birth of Yugi and Atem, had signalled the beginning. Ishizu had been seven at the time, but from the moment she could talk, her parents had begun preparing her and her and her older, half brother Rishid, for their roles as keepers of the tombs and guardians to the Pharaoh. Even her youngest brother Marik – although only a baby, was prepared. However, he had resented this intrusion on his young life and didn't really want anything to do with the Pharaoh, his tomb, or his sons. After their parents had died, Ishizu had gifted Marik the freedom to follow his own dreams to travel the world. But his loyalty to his sister had soon brought him home again.

::::::::::::

In Japan, School had broken up for the winter holidays and everyone was in high spirits; excited about Christmas and the New Year. Although not a Christian celebration in Japan, they still loved the commercial aspect of it and Yugi always found it amusing how excited Anzu got every year.

It was Christmas eve and the group of teens were in Domino Square to enjoy the spectacular Christmas decorations that lit up the gloom of a dark, chilly winters night.

Yugi was proudly wearing the Christmas jumper that Anzu had given him. It was bright red with a picture of a snowman on the front. She had given a blue jumper to Atem, which sported a reindeer on the front. Atem had refused to wear it; until both Yugi and Anzu ganged up on him. So, reluctantly, he was now wearing his sweater as well.

"Ooh it's so romantic." Anzu snuggled up to Yugi as the pair strolled hand in hand through the crowds towards the large Christmas Tree that was centre piece to the display.

"Yeah," Honda grumbled sarcastically. "When you're loved up and not on your own." He was sore because Miho had said she didn't wish to go on a date with him.

"Tee hee, you will always have me!" Jonouchi jumped on him and grabbed him in a head lock.

"Urgh! Get off me will ya! You moron.." The pair started play fighting and larking around, earning themselves annoyed looks from people who were trying to enjoy a nice evening out.

"You two make a lovely couple, we should announce your engagement on facebook," Atem sniggered. He had no problem finding a date for the evening because the girls at school were queuing up to go out with him. This evening he was with a girl from class A, called Tamiko.

"We should leave them to it," Anzu suggested. She was finding their childish behaviour irritating. She had wanted a nice romantic evening alone with Yugi so that they could exchange presents and eat KFC and Christmas cake together, but everyone had wanted them to all go out as a group.

"Hey guys?" Yugi called to his two friends. "Stop fighting and hurry up, we're supposed to be meeting Ryou by the clock tower." The pair stopped fighting and followed the two couples.

"Otogi said he'd be here somewhere too," Atem added.

They found Ryou munching on a bag of roasted chestnuts. He was with a giggly girl from school. Yugi couldn't remember her name, but she was always chasing after Ryou, even though he did nothing to encourage her.

"Hi Ryou," Anzu beamed as they approached. "Hi Sasaki. I didn't know you and Ryou were seeing each other?!" She enquired.

 _Ah, that's her name._ Yugi suddenly remembered.

"We're not." Ryou looked slightly offended at the suggestion. At the same time that he answered, Sasaki cooed. "Yes, he asked me to go out with him yesterday." She clutched his arm lovingly.

"I did no... Never mind," Ryou sighed, accepting his fate. He wasn't sure why, but he really wasn't interested in girls like most of the other boys were. But at least if he had a date his friends wouldn't think there was something going on with him.

"Hello everyone." They all turned round to see Otogi standing there with a girl on each arm, grinning. "I brought two lovelies with me this evening," he bragged. "I couldn't be so cruel as to leave one of my favourite girls at home." No one really knew what to say in response to that! No one except Jonouchi and Honda that is.

"Greedy bastard!" They both exclaimed at the same time.

"Have you got one you can spare?!" Honda said half jokingly and half sarcastic.

"You're just jealous because you don't have my looks and charm," Otogi winked cheekily.

Jonouchi mumbled something about knocking his teeth down his throat and then he wouldn't look so pretty!

Anzu sensed that they needed a change of subject. "Come on, lets go ice skating before we eat." They boys weren't too keen but agreed, and they all made their way to the temporary ice rink that had been installed in the town square for the winter holidays.

They soon discovered that Jonouchi and Honda were reckless on the ice. Both thought they had far more ability than they actually did!

Atem and Otogi spent most of the time clinging to the advertising boarding, because they were afraid of injuring themselves and not be able to play football for a while. Yugi and Ryou were keen to try though, and by the time it was time to leave, had sort of mastered it.

With the boys nursing their bruises from falling over so much and the girls all grinning, everyone made their way to get their fried chicken. All the restaurants got really booked up at this time of year and even though they had booked their table they still had to wait for half an hour.

"Man I'm starving, my jeans are wet and my butt hurts," Jonouchi complained.

"If you hadn't spent so much time falling over, you wouldn't _be_ so wet and bruised," Anzu scolded.

"Yeah, well it wasn't my fault everyone kept getting in my way!"

"It looked like it was the other way round to me Jonouchi! I was waiting for them to ask you to get off the ice for being a butt head," Atem informed him.

"Yeah, well they obviously aren't used to super fast speed skaters then," Jonouchi continued, making everyone laugh. "What's so funny about that?!" He couldn't understand why they were laughing at him.

"Speed skater! Don't make me choke on my saliva! You looked like a chimpanzee on skates, flailing around on the ice," Otogi teased.

"Yeah, well you will be choking on my fist in a minute," Jonouchi retaliated.

"That's enough guys! It's Christmas, we should be nice to each other," Ryou interjected.

"Yes, Bakura's right everyone. It's the season of love and good will and stuff, so play nice," Yugi added.

"I love you too Yuge!" Jonouchi said in a silly voice and grabbed his short friend in a hug giving him a noogie. Everyone laughed except Yugi, who was fed up of being treated like a little kid.

"Finally!" Jonouchi grumbled when they eventually got seated. He proceeded to wolf his food down and finished before everyone else was even halfway through.

"I have never seen anyone eat so fast before!" One of Otogi's girlfriends grimaced. "Don't you ever get indigestion?"

"Nope! Constitution of an ox," he belched, patting his full tummy. "What's for desert?"

"Jonouchi!" Everyone groaned.

Desert, was in fact, Christmas cake, made from a light chocolate sponge layered with fresh cream and strawberries. They all enjoyed the cake.

::::::::::::

It was nearly midnight when Yugi walked Anzu home. He still hadn't given her his 'special' gift yet as he had wanted to give it to her in private, without his friends around to tease him.

"Happy Christmas Yugi." Anzu smiled and gave him a hug as they stood in the porch.

"Happy Christmas to you too Anzu. I er... bought another present for you." He reached inside his jacket and pulled out a small, square, neatly wrapped gift.

"Oh! But I thought we already exchanged..." She gestured to the scarf and gloves she was wearing.

"I wanted to give you something more special... between just the two of us," he blushed.

"Oh! Yugi, that's so sweet. Why don't you come in?" She opened the door and he followed her inside.

Her parents did not appear to be home. They found a note on the kitchen table: _Tried to ring you but you didn't answer. Ko and Aimi Hisikawa invited us for the evening. Home around 2pm. Happy Christmas, love Mum and Dad._ Anzu dug her phone out of her bag and saw that she had two missed calls and a text. She read the note out to Yugi. He was quite pleased her parents were out, it meant that he had Anzu all to himself.

"Do you want something to drink?" She asked.

"In a minute. Open your present first." He handed her the gift.

"Okay," she blushed. "You really shouldn't waste your money on me Yugi." She started unwrapping.

"But I wanted to," he smiled defiantly.

"Yugi! It's beautiful!" She held up the dainty, gold, heart shaped locket.

"Look inside."

She opened it up to see that he had put a tiny picture of them both together, in one side and on the other was the inscription A x Y. "Thank you," she breathed, leaning forward to kiss him.

She went to put on the necklace. "Let me help you." He gently did up the clasp for her, making sure that his fingers stroked her neck once he had fastened it. He couldn't resist sneaking a kiss to her neck making her giggle.

"Would you like that drink now.. before you have to go home? I think we have some bucks fizz in the fridge."

"Okay.. I don't think I have ever tried bucks fizz."

"It's mildly alcoholic. My parents won't mind if we have one glass each." When she opened the fridge she found that the bucks fizz was gone but there was a half drunk bottle of wine. "Oh! We could finish this instead?" She looked at Yugi and grinned.

"I don't know," he frowned. "I have never tried wine. The only time I drank alcohol was when me and Yami sneaked some of Grandpa's whiskey. It was horrible." He pulled a 'that was disgusting' face.

"I haven't tried whiskey, but I think wine tastes a bit different. Here... try it?" She handed him a glass with a small amount in.

"That's quite nice actually." He finished it and held out his glass for a top up. "I suppose a small amount won't hurt."

There turned out to be enough left in the bottle for them to get a full, large glasses each.

After a few sips their faces were looking a little flushed and they could both feel the effects of the alcohol as it went to their heads. "How about we dance? I could teach you some moves," Anzu beamed.

Usually, Yugi was a bit shy and awkward when it came to dancing. "Yeah, okay." They took their half drunk glasses with them into the sitting room and Anzu plugged in her I-pod and put on some music.

Yugi gulped down the rest of his wine, placed his glass down on the coffee table and started showing off, doing a funny dance to make her laugh.

"What's that supposed to be?" She giggled.

"It's called... I dunno what its called really." He did a daft attempt at a jump and landed in front of her. She took his hands.

"Right, I'm going to teach you the Waltz." She positioned one of his hands on her waist but feeling less inhibited than usual, he slid his hand down over her buttock and pulled her closer. "Yugi! Are you taking this seriously?"

"Very," he purred. "Why don't we do one of those more sexy dances?"

"Yugi!" She was a bit taken aback, but amenable to the idea. "You mean like this?" She started to grind against him.

Usually, Yugi felt too self conscious and danced like a plank of wood with two left feet, but the wine had relaxed him and all the dance moves Anzu had tried to teach him – without success – in the past suddenly clicked into place, and although it was a bit clumsy, he responded with a pelvic grind of his own.

As the music became softer, he pulled her close and they gently swayed in each others arms to Jess Glynne's, Take Me Home.

Without her shoes on, Anzu suddenly noticed that the height difference between them wasn't quite as great as it had been. He was now only an inch or two shorter than her. She didn't want to say anything though and risk upsetting him, because he was pretty sensitive about being small. And she was enjoying dancing with him way too much to spoil the moment. They were so close that she could feel his warm breath on her neck.

As the song ended, he started to kiss her neck and began trailing his kisses up until he reached her lips. At the same time he trailed a hand under her clothing and slipped it inside the black leggings she was wearing. He was half expecting her to stop him but she didn't.

Instead, she buried her hands in his wild hair and moaned into their kiss. He was pleasantly shocked when her tongue found his. They had _never_ kissed with this much passion before!

When they pulled away for some air, Yugi quickly took off his snowman sweater. As he did, his tee shirt rode up, revealing his nicely toned stomach and chest. Anzu felt her heart flutter at the sight. _When did he start looking so ripped?_ The last time she had seen him without a shirt, was at the water park last August. He had obviously developed quite a bit since then! "Yugi! Have you been working out?"

"What?!" He realised he had been showing off his body. "Oh! Yes! Does it show?" He suddenly felt a little self conscious and pulled his tee shirt back down.

"Don't cover up! I like it." She slid her hands under his shirt and pushed it up so that she could run her hands over his abs and chest. He lifted his arms and let her remove his shirt, leaving his torso bare.

Within moments, they had found themselves on the sofa, with him on top. Yugi was enjoying where this seemed to be going. In the months since they had started dating they had never been this intimate before. The most they had done was kiss and hold hands. He had never been brave enough to suggest they do more.

Her leggings and panties had now ended up being pushed down around her knees, as he let his hands roam and his fingers caress the inside of her thighs. He thought she might stop him when he touched her intimately, but she didn't so he kept going. At the moment, they were both too caught up in their passion to want to stop.

It wasn't until he knelt up and started to undo his trousers, and she saw how aroused he was that she finally came to her senses. "No! Yugi stop! Please?" She looked down at her state of undress and suddenly felt embarrassed and afraid. "We shouldn't, not on my parents sofa! We don't have any protection." Silly excuses were pouring out.

"We could go up to..." He was going to suggest her room, but then sobered up suddenly, himself. "I'm sorry Anzu, I.." He hastily turned away so that she could dress herself, and grabbed his shirt from the floor. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to take advantage."

"You didn't take advantage Yugi. We both got carried away. It's as much my fault." She looked up at him standing there, looking guilty, with a bulge in his pants, and for some reason she suddenly found their situation funny and embarrassing at the same time.

"Anzu! Are you okay? Do you want me to leave?" He blinked in confusion at her mirth. What was she laughing at? He had almost taken advantage of her! If she hadn't told him to stop he would have had sex with her!

"I'm fine. And no, I don't want you to go yet." She patted the seat next to her. "I found it amusing that after one glass of wine we couldn't control ourselves. Of course I do want us to sleep together, but I'm not really sure I'm quite ready yet. Are you?"

He started to nod that he was ready and then shook his head. "Y.. No.. not if you are not, then I'm not either. I will wait for as long as you want. It was just the wine made me..." He trailed off.

"Horny?"

"Yes, horny." His face flushed. "Anyway, I really should get going. It's very late and Grandpa will be worried. He hates us being out on our own. I don't know why, but the older we get the more he fusses."

"Yeah, I have noticed that too. He is a bit over protective. Maybe he just doesn't like that you and Yami are both growing up and becoming independent."

"Yeah, that's probably it... although, I can't help thinking there is some other reason. He's really jumpy about certain things. Anyway." He stood up and pulled her to her feet with him.

Once at the front door, he slipped his shoes back on and then stood up to kiss her goodnight. "I just wanted to tell you that I love you so much Anzu, and I would never take advantage or do anything to hurt you." He leaned in and kissed her gently.

She kissed him back. The kiss they shared was more in keeping with their usual sweet, gentle kisses. "I know Yugi. I am so lucky to have such a sweet, wonderful, caring guy like you. I love you too. Happy Christmas."

"Happy Christmas Anzu." He gave her one last peck on the cheek and then pulled his coat on and disappeared into the night. She watched him go round the corner and then closed the door.

Deep down, part of her wished that she had not stopped him.

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Please **review.**


	7. Chapter 7

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and didn't over do the New Year celebrations too much! Only three and a half months to wait until the new Yugioh movie is released in Japan. Let's hope we don't have to wait too long for it in the US, UK and everywhere else!

For this chapter, we see the arrival of another familiar character.

Warning: There is a bit of swearing in this chapter.

I don't own Yugioh.

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Broken Dreams.

Chapter 7. A Small Acorn.

Today was the first day back to school after the winter break. Even if they were not too excited about being back at school, everyone seemed happy to be seeing their school friends. Duel Monsters was growing in popularity and Yugi was keen to get his fellow classmates interested.

When Anzu and Honda came back into the classroom, from their class representatives meeting, they noticed a small crowd gathered around Yugi's desk. "I wonder what that is all about?" Honda asked her.

Anzu smiled. "Yugi said something about bringing a game to school today. Lets check it out."

They pushed through the crowd to where Atem was sitting on a desk next to the two duelists, with his feet resting on a chair. He had his elbows on his knees and a notepad in his hands to keep score. He was smiling proudly as he watched his brother in action.

Anzu slapped his leg playfully and mouthed. "Feet off the chair!" He raised his eyebrows defiantly and stayed where he was.

Honda grappled Atem in a playful head lock. "As the male representative for our class, I order you to do as you are told and get your feet off the chair!" Anzu rolled her eyes at the pair of them fighting and left them to it.

"Hey! Pack it in you two, I'm tryin to concentrate!" Jonouchi scolded the pair.

They stopped fighting and started laughing. "When did you learn to concentrate Jonouchi?!" Honda teased.

"Take the piss all you like man!" Jonouchi turned back to face Yugi. "Now where was I?"

Anzu stood behind Yugi and rested her arms on his shoulders, bending over so that her face was touching the side of his head. "Hi Anzu!" He looked up briefly and kissed her lips quickly. "I'm teaching Jonouchi how to play Duel Monsters."

"And how is that going?" She laughed at the thought of Jonouchi being able to sit still long enough to play a game.

"It's going quite well," Yugi chuckled.

"Yeah, if you can call beating me easily five times in a row, _going well!"_ Jonouchi sighed. "I'm fucking useless."

"Jonouchi! Stop swearing," Anzu scolded.

"It's okay Jonouchi, with a little practice you will soon get the hang of it," Yugi said encouragingly.

"Hey, Yugi! Where can we get those cards from?" One of the boys watching asked.

"We sell them in my grandfathers shop," Yugi informed him.

Several of the students said they wanted to buy some. "Sure. You can come back to the shop with me after school if you like," he grinned.

Atem smiled to himself at Yugi's new confidence. Even though he and Yugi were equal in their skill at mastering the game, he had sat back and let Yugi take the lead in showing their friends how to play Duel Monsters. It was nice to see Yugi getting some of the attention for a change.

::::::::::::

Business was slow now that all the kids were back at school. Sugoroku took the opportunity of a slack day to tidy up the shop and clean the store room. It was a job that his grandsons were supposed to have done over the holiday, but had somehow escaped on the grounds that they were too busy!

Sugoroku sighed to himself. It had always been easy to keep an eye on when they were little boys, but now that they were young men they were always off having fun with their friends; they needed their old grandfather less and less.

Ishizu would freak out if she knew how much freedom he allowed them! But Sugoroku wanted them to have fun and do all the things ordinary teenagers did. Why should he enforce the ways of the tomb keepers upon them? He did not want to imprison them from the outside world, while he drilled it into them, that as the sons of a great Pharaoh, they had been chosen by the Gods to fulfil some ancient, handed down prophecy, that not even the latest generation of tomb keepers knew much about! This was twenty first century Japan, not some backward village in the middle of the Egyptian desert! Ishizu and her family had been born into all this mystical, magic and superstitious nonsense and accepted it, but the Mutou family were new to it all and it was hard to come to terms with; Yugi had a girlfriend and Atem was planning to actively pursue a career as a professional footballer! Neither boy had any idea that pursuing their own dreams might not be possible. But there was no way Sugoroku would take those dreams away from them.

When the shop phone rang, he put down his feather duster, while mumbling in annoyance at being disturbed from his thoughts and answered it.

"Oh! Hello Ishizu." He hadn't been expecting her call today!

"I trust you are in good health and that the princes are both safe and well?"

"Yes, thank you Ishizu. They are at school. The new term started today."

Ishizu bit back the urge to suggest they should have been brought up in Egypt and educated by tombkeepers. They had been over this before and it always caused arguments. "I have finally been granted permission to bring an Egyptian exhibit to Domino Museum. I am in the process of overseeing the shipment and will be arriving in Japan in three to four weeks. Mahado is travelling separately and will be arriving in Domino with his sister, Mana, in three days time."

Sugoroku was silent for a moment. He wondered how much longer he would be able to keep the truth from Atem and Yugi.

"Are you still there Sugoroku?!" Ishizu was baffled by his silence. He usually had plenty to say! Surely, he must know that he could not keep this secret from his grandsons indefinitely.

"Yes, sorry Ishizu. I.. I just hoped that I could keep their true identity from them for a while longer."

"Of course," she sighed. "I do understand – they have been brought up as modern Japanese boys and as a result, have no understanding of the ancient traditions or of their destiny. Had you taken my family's advice and allowed them to be raised by us and trained in the use of magic, they would be ready. We should not be in this situation. The Shadow Realm is becoming unstable and we have no way of knowing what effect their ignorance will have on the outcome."

"I have faith in my grandsons Ishizu. They are intelligent and quick to adapt. When the time comes they will not fail in whatever is expected of them. I brought them up in Japan because both their mother and I thought it was the best place. If the evil does rise, I'm sure it wont stay in the desert anyway! It will go where there is civilisation. Their knowledge of modern life and technology will help them far more than a few ancient traditions." In truth, it frightened him to think about what might happen.

"Yes, well I hope you are right. It concerns me that they have friends who might get caught up in this. If, or rather when, the evil escapes from the shadows, it might use their friends against them."

"From what I have learned, the shadows will use whoever they come into contact with to do its bidding. Nobody is safe Ishizu."

Just then the bell jingled as the shop door was opened. "Hey Grandpa! We're home." Yugi came bouncing through the door followed by Jonouchi, Honda and Atem. Sugoroku jumped. Was it time for them to be home from school already?!

He raised his eyebrows slightly when half a dozen other students followed them in.

"Oh! Hello everybody." Sugoroku said loudly so that Ishizu could hear also. "I have to go, my grandsons and some of their friends are home from school. It was nice catching up, I will speak with you again soon."

They ended the call. Sugoroku hung the phone back on its base that was attached to the wall. "Did you all have a good first day back at school?" He asked, almost too cheerfully.

"Hi Gramps!" They all chorused.

"We brought some friends back. They want to buy some Duel Monsters cards to make their own decks with," Yugi informed him.

"Oh!" Sugoroku's face lit up. "Well, you have all come to the right place. I am an expert. I taught my grandsons everything they know about the game," he boasted as he rang up the sales.

Satisfied with their new decks and eager to practice their classmates left, leaving Sugoroku happily counting the Yen he had just made.

"Would now be a good time to ask for a raise in our allowance?" Atem asked cheekily.

"What?! Oh! No no no, profits are not _that_ great my boy. Now, is there anything I can sell to you two boys?" He was hoping that Jonouchi and Honda might buy some cards too.

"I don't really play cards," Honda grinned.

"We just came back to play that new game Yami got Yugi got for Christmas," Jonouchi informed him excitedly. "The one where you go into middle earth or some underworld place and kill monsters and demons to rescue the princess!"

"Oh! Well.. enjoy." Sugoroku laughed. Who said his grandsons wouldn't be prepared?! Without realising it, they automatically gravitated towards anything that involved battling demons and monsters! This video game and Yugi's obsession with Duel Monsters was confirmation of this.

::::::::::::

A few days later, Yugi was helping Jonouchi deliver the local evening newspaper after school. "Hey look at this?!" Jonouchi was flicking through one of the papers and noticed an advertisement. "Regional Duel Monsters finals are taking place right here in Domino!"

"Let me see?" Yugi grabbed the paper excitedly. "Wow! Says here Kaiba Corp is sponsoring it and that he will be showcasing the latest dueling technology. I wonder what that is? I will have to get tickets to go and watch!"

"Watch! You crazy Yuge? You should enter. You are the best duelist in the school and you will easily win."

Yugi scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "Do you think so? I dunno, I might be good compared to everyone at school but I'm not sure I can compete at top level. Yami's probably better than I am."

"You gotta be fucking kidding me! You will wipe the floor with them! Have a bit more faith in yourself Yugi! I totally suck but I'm gonna enter. Look at the prize money? I'm shit broke and that will help clear my Dad's debts."

After hurriedly delivering the rest of the papers, they went back to Yugi's house and signed up, using the online entry form.

Although he was equal to Yugi when it came to dueling, Atem declined to enter the competition. He needed to concentrate on his grades to stop them slipping. He was training really hard for his football club and finding it exhausting to juggle this with his school work, so adding Duel Monsters training into the mix as well wasn't an option. And besides, he wanted Yugi to excel at something on his own. However, he still tried to find a little bit of time to help Yugi practice his strategies; he was the only person who could really challenge him!

When the weekend of the competition arrived, Yugi was really nervous, but having his brother and friends supporting him gave him confidence and once he had made it through the first few rounds he started to relax. He soon found himself in the quarter finals.

Unfortunately, Jonouchi was not so lucky, he managed to survive two rounds before he was knocked out. But he took encouragement from the fact that the boy who beat him made it through to the final.

Yugi had to overcome a semi final opponent who called himself Dinosaur Ryuzaki. Despite appearing to be a bit of a moron, Yugi found him quite difficult to beat. But he managed to win and made it through to the final.

The new technology turned out to be Kaiba's new holographic system. The duelists faced each other over a field which projected images of their monsters onto a grid of holo emitters. Apparently, this was just the first prototype. Seto Kaiba announced that it was just the start – in the future he planned to produce a portable system that would allow holographic duels to take place anywhere. The audience oohed their appreciation and when the system fired up for Seto Kaiba to demonstrate, using his Blue Eyes White Dragon, everyone gasped.

Yugi felt himself shiver with excitement, he couldn't wait to get stuck into the final.

Yugi's opponent in the final was a little creep calling himself Insector Haga. He was a year younger than Yugi and Yugi was quite pleased that the kid was also shorter than himself.

"He is a sack of shit Yugi so watch yourself," Jonouchi warned him.

Yugi had also come to the same conclusion. "You don't need to warn me Jonouchi, I have seen him play, so I know how tricky his insects can be." Yugi went through his deck and prepared himself for the match.

Seto Kaiba was the current world champion. He was not interested in playing in the regional tournament because he considered these duelists amateurs who were way beneath his level of talent. But he was still watching with interest and in particular was paying attention to the innocent looking little kid called Yugi Mutou. The boy was good and he had put his money on him to win.

The two boys made their way up onto their dueling platforms and faced each other.

"Ladies and gentlemen. He may look innocent," the announcer began, making Yugi feel self conscious, "but don't let this baby faced duelist fool you. Once he starts to play, he is ruthless and has crushed several good opponents to reach the final. But will this be enough to beat last years champion Insector Haga?" Haga made a horrible sniggering sound and sneered at Yugi, making some disparaging remark about his hair.

 _What right has he got to insult my hair looking like he does?_ Yugi thought. He wanted to jump over his console and punch Haga but knew better than to give any sort of reaction. Instead, he just turned politely to Haga and smiled. "May the best duelist win Haga." It was said in a slightly threatening way which was a trick he had learned from his brother. He wasn't sure if he had pulled it off, but Haga did look nervous all of a sudden.

Each duelist started with 4000 life points and right from the start Haga heckled Yugi and gave him problems.

But when Yugi eventually overcame Haga to win the Regional title, Haga took it badly and started screaming that Yugi had cheated.

Of course everyone could see that he had won fair and square. Seto Kaiba intervened by grabbing Haga by the collar and hauling him off his feet. "Listen you little maggot, Yugi beat you because he is the better duelist, so why don't you just accept that and be grateful I don't strip you of your runner up position and ban you from any further tournaments. Got that?"

"Y. yes, got that! Now put me down you big jerk."

At being called a jerk, Seto Kaiba smirked. "Isono, throw this imbecile out of my stadium before I squash him like a fly."

Haga was immediately slung out and disqualified from the tournament, losing his runners up prize money and trophy.

"Well done Yugi," Seto shook his hand and handed him his prize money of 100,000Yen. "The world championships are in six months, I will expect to see you there so that I can beat you," he smirked.

"Y.. yes, o.. okay. I.. I will do my best," Yugi stammered. Kaiba was a tall man, and at well over six feet, towered over Yugi, who, when he didn't slouch, was barely 5ft 3 inches and diminutive in comparison. It made him feel inferior.

His friends all ran over to congratulate him. "I knew you would win Yugi!" Anzu hugged and kissed him.

Seto Kaiba chuckled at the sight. What was an attractive woman doing with a little runt like Yugi?

She was wearing platform shoes with heels, that made her almost five inches taller than him and his face almost disappeared between her breasts.

Anzu heard him laugh and took offence. One or two girls at school had teased her about Yugi to begin with, but had long since become used to them being a couple. "Is something funny?!" She snapped indignantly.

"I was just thinking you should probably let him go before he suffocates," Seto replied smugly.

"Yeah, well Yugi might not have had a proper growth spurt yet, but he will still beat you in the world finals," she said confidently, making Yugi want to face palm.

"I look forward to him trying," he smirked. "Yugi, I would learn to keep your girlfriend under control before she says something really stupid that might get you into trouble." He turned to leave.

"Stuck up jerk," Jonouchi growled.

Seto stopped and turned round. "And you should put a muzzle your dog too Yugi."

"Why you fu..." Jonouchi had his fists balled in fighting stance but Honda grabbed him.

"Calm down buddy, you don't wanna get yourself in trouble." Honda tried to pacify him.

"Kaiba! That was uncalled for, you should apologise to Jonouchi." Atem was not afraid of men who liked to throw their authority around. He stepped forward, ready to defend his brother and his friend.

"It's okay man." Jonouchi reached forward and touched Atem's arm. "Thanks for your help and all but I'm cool; he ain't worth my effort. Yugi will beat him and then we will see who's the bigger man!"

Kaiba gave an amused little snort and nodded his head at Atem. He could see that the guy had a pride equal to his own and he respected that.

"Come on guys, let's not stay here and argue with kaiba. We should be celebrating Yugi's victory, not getting into arguments!" Ryo Bakura interjected.

Anzu felt like sticking her tongue out at Seto and blowing a raspberry. But decided against any more childish behaviour and instead took Yugi's hand proudly, as they prepared to walk away.

"Kaiba?!" Yugi resisted as Anzu went to pull him along with her and walked forward to stop Seto, who was just leaving. "I look forward to duelling you in the world finals." He bowed to be polite.

Seto Kaiba acknowledged him with a slight nod of the head. "Good, I will enjoy beating you."

Yugi didn't say anything else and followed his friends. When they got outside Jonouchi sighed. "Man that guy is totally up his own arse! You gotta beat him and wipe that smug grin off his face Yuge."

"I will try Jonouchi," Yugi laughed nervously.

"Don't worry about it Yugi," Atem put a protective arm around his brother's shoulder. "You have the ability to beat anyone you duel – even me!" He winked.

"Really?!" Yugi looked at his brother, wide eyed.

"You will need to strengthen your deck and have faith in the heart of the cards Yugi. I have heard he has three of those Blue Eyes White Dragons in his deck. Right now they are the most powerful cards in Duel Monsters," Sugoroku explained.

"I will Grandpa. And I will put my faith in my cards. But right now I want to forget about Kaiba. Who fancies a burger? My shout."

Later on, when Yugi walked Anzu home, he was rather quiet. They had just reached her house and were stood on the front porch. "Is everything okay Yugi, you seem a bit subdued since Kaiba was mean to everyone."

"I'm okay. Kaiba doesn't bother me," he shrugged.

"Well then, what does?"

"It's nothing. It's silly really."

"What is it Yugi?" She eyed him knowingly. "I know your upset about something. Spill?" His shoulders sagged in defeat.

"It's just... It's embarrassing. People always treat me like I'm a little kid. They look down on me and speak like I'm only ten. Kaiba took the piss today and even the announcer made comments about my size."

"What do those jerks know? You shouldn't let it get to you Yugi."

"But I can't help it. I keep waiting for my growth spurt that everyone assures me will happen and it never does. I worry that you will get fed up and leave me for someone more masculine. I mean, look at me? How can I hope to protect you when I can't even protect myself?! I just stood back and let Kaiba say nasty things while you, Yami and Jonouchi stood up for me. I'm pathetic and I wouldn't blame you for not wanting to go out with me any more."

"Yugi! I go out with you because I like you! Who cares if you are still small. I am positive you will grow stronger soon." She kicked her shoes off even though the ground was cold and damp. "See I'm not much taller than you now!" She bent slightly so they were the same height and kissed him.

He frowned and pulled away slightly. "I would prefer it if you didn't have to stoop to my level. He stood on his toes and pulled her up to her normal standing position so that they were almost the same height and so that he could initiate and feel in control of the kiss.

Somehow it felt much better for them both when he took the lead. She seemed to melt into him. He wished it was summer and she wasn't wearing so many clothes because they just got in the way.

After a few minutes, she pulled away quickly when the porch light came on, making them both jump. "I should go inside before my dad catches me. See you tomorrow."

"Yes, bye Anzu. See you tomorrow." He turned away and started to walk home. She was always so nice to him, even when people looked at them oddly, or asked if she was his baby sitter! There had been a couple of really embarrassing moments: Like being asked how old he was when purchasing tickets at the cinema and at the theme park. Because of this, his self esteem was low. He really wished he could have some of his brother's confidence and Jonouchi's strength, then everyone would take him seriously. "Grrrr.." He angrily kicked at a stone lying on the pavement, sending it flying into the nearby wall, where it bounced off and into the side of a parked car, making a loud clanging noise.

Yugi cringed. He couldn't even kick a stone right.

Worried that someone might have seen what he had just done, he picked up his pace and ran home.

* * *

 **Please leave a review. Your feedback helps greatly.**


	8. Chapter 8

For some reason, I really enjoyed writing this chapter!

Warning: This chapter has a surprise encounter with mentions of sexual activity.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh,

* * *

Broken Dreams

Chapter 8. Local Hero

With the excitement of Yugi's victory in the Regional Duel Monsters tournament over, attention was now turned to Atem's big moment. Domino High School had made it to the final of the All Japan High Schools Football Tournament, and as their star player, a lot was riding on Atem's shoulders. He had also been made team captain!

It was one of the most important tournaments in Japan, and the Mutou household was buzzing with a mixture of nervousness and excitement.

As he stood in front of the mirror brushing his teeth, Atem shuddered. He suddenly felt terrified by the amount of responsibility being placed on his shoulders. What if he got injured in the first five minutes? What if he had a poor game? Right now, his legs were jelly and he felt as though he couldn't even run for a bus, let alone kick a ball! This game was a huge opportunity for him to impress and he knew he couldn't fail.

Yugi banged on the bathroom door. "Hurry up Yami! You have been in there ages, I need to use the bathroom."

"You can come in, I'm only brushing my teeth."

Yugi opened the door. "I'm not having a pee with you watching!"

"Why the hell would I want to watch you?! Anyway, can't you use the one at the back of the shop?"

"Grandpa took a book in there with him over ten minutes ago!"

"Oh!" Atem laughed. "If you're that desperate go in the yard?"

"And have Mrs. Tanaka spy on me!" It was obvious his brother wasn't going to leave so Yugi lifted the toilet seat, unzipped himself and began to pee. Atem smirked and threw a wet flannel at him.

"Argh Yami! You made me go on the floor! I'll tell Mum it was you and she will kill you if you don't clean it up" Yugi zipped himself back up and went to the sink where Atem was now trying to wash his face, and stuck his hands in the washbasin Atem was using.

"Do you mind?!" Atem shoved his brother's hands away, "I'm trying to wash Yugi."

"But I need to wash my hands, and you have been hogging the bathroom all morning."

"Well wash them in the bath or something. And don't forget to clean up your piss." Atem flicked water at Yugi.

"Okay, but I will use your towel," he teased, making a move to grab his brother's towel from the rail. Atem grabbed his wrists and the pair started play wrestling and flicking water at each other until the bathroom was soaked.

"Hey!" Their grandfather snapped, appearing in the doorway. "If you two can stop behaving like a pair five year olds! Otogi and Valon are here to give you a lift to the football ground Yami."

"Oh crap! They're early!" Atem's team mates were as nervous as he was about the big game and rather than risk the traffic and miss the team bus that would take them to Tokyo, they had decided to pick him up half an hour earlier than they had originally arranged. Luckily he had packed all his kit. All he needed to do was finish dressing and he was ready.

His little bit of childish banter with Yugi had helped to calm him a bit and he winked at Yugi as he walked past him to leave. "Sorry you'll have to mop up your accident on your own."

Wishing him luck, Atem's family watched him leave. The next time they saw him would be when they watched him perform on the football pitch.

"We had better hurry up and get ourselves ready, we don't want to miss our train and be late for the game." Sugoroku checked his watch. "And you had better go and mop up all that water in the bathroom Yugi!"

Groaning at being left to clear up, Yugi did as he was told.

::::::::::::

Standing on the centre circle with his foot on the ball, waiting for the referee to start the match, Atem glanced around. The vast Tokyo Stadium was packed to capacity.

It was the first time he had played in the national stadium, which was being used to host the final of the All Japan High Schools Football tournament. Atem knew that if they played their best football, Domino High had a really good chance of winning it this year.

He was nervous, but he closed his eyes for a second and tried to focus. They had a game plan and he knew what he needed to do. He could feel the energy from the crowd and he could harness this to his team's advantage.

As the whistle blew, he casually knocked the ball back to Otogi to begin the match. He tried to push the knowledge that scouts from some of the regions top professional clubs would be scrutinising him, to the back of his mind.

Their opponents got off to a great start and Domino High immediately found themselves pushed back on the defence. After ten minutes the other team Hitachinaka scored the first goal, and then for much of the first half Domino were under pressure. However, despite their opponents aggressive game plan, Domino held on, and five minutes before half time Atem broke free of the man marking him. Using his pace and agility, he was easily able to out manoeuvre the defender and faced with just the goalkeeper, he dummied him. The goalkeeper fell for it and committed himself. Atem chipped the ball over the flailing body, into the back of the net.

The score at half time was one apiece.

Yugi was not really a fan of football but leaped nearly ten feet in the air when his brother scored!

Domino seemed to have gained their confidence in the second half and for the first twenty minutes the two teams put on an excellent display of top class football. Gradually, Atem and Otogi started to dominate the midfield and Hitachinaka were starting to get tired. A through ball from Atem left Valon with a chance to score but his effort was tipped over the bar by the goalkeeper.

Atem took the resulting corner. He looped the ball in, and in the goalmouth scramble, the ball ended up in the net. Unfortunately the goal was disallowed due to a foul.

There was now only six minutes of normal time left, and despite taking control Domino couldn't seem to finish the match off so it went to extra time.

Hitachinaka started the the first period of extra time like they meant business, but some brilliant defending kept Domino in the match.

Receiving a through ball from Valon, Atem ran at the defence but was brought down. Yugi, his family and friends had their hearts in their mouths as Atem stayed on the ground clutching his thigh, where two ugly stud marks had bruised the skin. After some treatment he was soon back on his feet and although he was in some discomfort, he dismissed the pain and waved up at where his family and friends were sitting, giving them a thumbs up to indicate he was okay.

He had earned himself a free kick from 25 yards out. He placed the ball down and looked at the wall of defenders in front of him. The referee was not happy about the wall being too close and told them to move back. As they did, Atem could just glimpse the top right hand corner of the goal. He had scored the first goal with his right foot, but decided to try a left footed slice that would hopefully curl into the visible corner of the goal and show the scouts watching that he could kick the ball equally well with his left foot.

There was silence in the stadium as he took his run up and thumped the ball with as much force as possible. The ball swerved through the air and round the side of the wall. The goalkeeper saw it too late and it sneaked under the crossbar and into the net.

The final score was 2-1 to Domino High – they were the new champions – Atem was a local hero.

Sitting in the crowd watching, Ishizu was intrigued. She, Mahado and Mana had limited understanding of the rules for football, but young Atem certainly was talented, and showed excellent leadership qualities; just as the son of a Pharaoh should. She could not help but be impressed.

"This is fun!" Mana nudged her brother. She had not wanted to come but it had turned out to be an amazing experience. She would have loved to try out some of the magic spells that Mahado had been teaching her, but she was forbidden to use any magic in public. She saw someone shuffle into their seat a couple of rows in front. The man was carrying a large hot dog and coke. "Mahado! Can I have one of those?"

"What?!" He saw her pointing. "No! Most definitely not. You know sugary drinks make you hyperactive."

"But...!"

"No."

Mana pouted and slumped in her seat. It was not fair, Mahado always said no. For some reason, he was always anti her eating what he called 'junk food' and forced her to eat healthy stuff.

She couldn't help the mischievous thought that entered her head, and before she could stop herself, she was focussing on the man's large cup of coke. Just as he placed the straw in his mouth to take a sip, the lid shot off and the contents of the cup sprayed into his face. Mana put both hands over her face to stifle her laughter, and at the same time looked up at her brother to make sure he hadn't seen what she had just done.

Just as all this was happening, the spiky haired boy that her sister-in-law was so fixated on scored a goal and everyone leaped up and screamed. Mana was happy. _Thank you spiky haired boy._ The Gods obviously loved her today, because it made it look like the man had thrown the drink over himself due to his excitement at the goal being scored.

When everyone settled back down again, Mana was sitting innocently in her seat. "Well, can I have a milk shake then?" Mahado sighed, and giving in, handed her some money.

With her chocolate milkshake in hand, Mana sat down to concentrate on the rest of the match. Now that she was paying proper attention, it suddenly occurred to her that the spiky haired boy Ishizu kept referring to as Atem – after that Pharaoh who's tomb her family guarded – was actually pretty cute; especially in those shorts!

::::::::::::

After the match, several scouts approached Atem with offers, but both Mr. Karita and his grandfather told him not to be hasty in his choice. Atem agreed that he should consider all of the offers first, but deep down he had already decided that he wanted to play for F C Domino.

When the team bus arrived back in Domino, they were treated to a celebratory meal in the Domino Stadium's fine dining restaurant.

Atem rang his grandfather to tell him that he would not be coming home just yet as he was celebrating with the team. Sugoroku told Atem not to worry, he had suspected that the team might celebrate together. They would arrange a separate, family celebration the next day.

Atem was sitting at the table with his team mates, listening to Otogi boasting about his skills both on and off the pitch, when he noticed a tall buxom blonde woman enter the private function room.

"Who is that babe?" Atem wondered out loud, causing his friends to look up.

Otogi smirked. "I dunno, but I think she will be going home with me tonight."

"In your dreams moron," The Australian, Valon spoke up. "That chic is Mai Kujaku. Her father is president of F C Domino. She's a high class Sheila and out of bounds to you."

"Is that so!" Atem grinned, up for the challenge. "Who fancies another drink?"

Catching on to his intentions, Otogi volunteered to help him carry the drinks.

"Good luck trying you pair of idiots," Valon and another boy sitting at their table watched with amusement as the hapless duo sauntered up to the bar, right next to Mai, who had perched herself on a bar stool and was sipping a champagne cocktail.

She glanced at the two would be suitors and smirked. "So you must be local hero Atem Mutou?"

Before Atem could answer, Otogi was there with the response. "Ryuji Otogi. And you must be the beautiful Mai Kujaku?" He grabbed her hand and raised it to his lips, allowing the faintest of contact. With the slight quirk of an eyebrow, he gave her his best seduction smile. While this worked on sixteen year old school girls, Mai was unimpressed and pulled her hand away.

"If I wanted to know your name, I would have asked loser. Now if you don't mind? I was talking to Atem." She flipped him off with a wave of her hand.

Bitterly disappointed, Otogi tried his best not to show it. "You win some you lose some," he winked at Atem. "Good luck buddy." He patted his friend on the shoulder and went back to the table where his friends were sniggering.

"Care to join me?" She looked Atem up and down, and with a seductive smile, decided that she liked what she saw.

"Thank you Miss Kujaku." He pulled up a bar stool and climbed onto it, beside her.

"Oh, please, don't be so formal. Call me Mai." She offered him her hand.

He was not sure what to do. Was he supposed to shake her hand? Or kiss it like Otogi just had? Nervously, he took her hand gently and shook it. "Nice to meet you Mai," he said in his sexiest baritone, sending shivers up her spine.

Mai chuckled. "You don't have much experience with women do you?"

"What?!" His face went bright red. "I.. I.."

"Unlike that idiot friend of yours, I actually _wanted_ you to kiss my hand." She laughed a little, but stopped when she saw his confused expression. "It's okay. What I meant was that you are not used to women other than high school girls. You know, you are kind of cute."

"Cute!" His voice came out as a squeak. He coughed and regaining his composure, tried again. "I'm guessing you like cute guys then?" He raised both eyebrows and gave his trademark Mutou smirk.

Mai didn't answer but gestured the bar tender over. "Two more morning glories please?" Atem tried not to snigger at the name being a reference to a man's first erection of the day upon waking.

The bar tender didn't bat an eye lid about Atem, who was still sixteen and under the legal age to drink alcohol.

"What's in it?" Atem asked taking a big sip. He had not really drunk alcohol before and it started to go to his head immediately.

"Cointreau, cherry brandy, champagne and a dash of angostura bitters."

Draining their drinks, Mai looked across at him. "Fancy heading somewhere else? This place is starting to bore me."

"Oh! Erm.." He looked over at where his friends were all watching and almost cringed when they all gave him the thumbs up. "Yeah," he grinned. "Why not."

::::::::::::

Like most teenage boys, Atem had looked forward to the day he lost his virginity. He had often fantasised about how it would feel to become a _real_ man. Never in his wildest dreams would he have believed it would be with a beautiful blonde temptress, three years his senior. It had been amazing.

He was laying naked, stretched out on the king size bed in Mai's spacious apartment with Mai resting her head on his chest. The soft feel of the silk sheets against his skin was luxurious and the feeling of her snuggled against him, her fingers gently caressing his skin made him feel very contented. A guy could easily get used to this lifestyle! It wasn't long before the fatigue from the football match followed by the champagne cocktail and his session with Mai caught up with him and he was soon fast asleep.

Hearing his light snoring, Mai got up and headed to the bathroom to freshen herself up. She never did enjoy smelling of sex! Although, compared to her previous experiences, this had been rather good. He was fit, agile and very gentle. And the nicest part was – he didn't drool and sweat all over her.

Of course, it had been obvious it was his first time, but Mai kind of liked that, it meant that she could take control and with her subtle guidance he had proved himself a worthy lover.

Turning off the shower and drying herself on the big, fluffy, cream coloured towel, Mai smiled at the satisfied glow that coursed through her body; seldom did a man make her feel so contented. If she had been interested in a more lasting relationship, he would have been a keeper. But Mai didn't do relationships. People always got possessive and tried to take control of the other person. There was no way she ever wanted a man controlling her life like her father had tried to control her mother.

Slipping into a skimpy silk night dress she slid into bed beside him and fell asleep.

::::::::::::

"Yugi! Have you heard from Atem?" He was enjoying his Sunday morning lie in when his mother came rushing into his room and woke him up.

"Ugh... What? No... Why?" He muttered grumpily.

"Your brother didn't come home last night. I tried ringing his mobile but it went straight to voice mail. Otogi's not answering either."

Yugi yawned and pushed himself to sit and reached for his phone. "I turned it off when I went to bed." He turned his phone on and they waited for it to boot up. "Nope, nothing." He sighed at his mother's worried expression. "I'm sure he's okay Mum, he can look after himself. He probably just crashed at a friends."

"Yes, but after what happened to you, I worry. Your grandfather will be horrified when he wakes up – it's not good for his heart!" She sat down on the end of his bed looking concerned.

"Yami's not Me! Stop worrying. Maybe he..." _got lucky!_ He finished the last bit in his head. "I'll ring him okay." He hit dial and it started ringing.

Mai was just trotting to the kitchen to make two cups of tea when she heard Atem's phone ring from where he had left it on the kitchen table with his keys and wallet. The caller id said Yugi Mutou and the screen showed a picture of a cute guy who looked a lot like Atem. _How sweet, his little brother is checking up on him._ "Hello Yugi," she drawled huskily, making the boy on the other end gulp and quiver.

He was not expecting his call to be answered by a rather sexy sounding woman. Yugi was caught off guard. "Oh! W.. who is t.. this. I.. I'm after Yam.. At..tem," he stuttered.

Mai chuckled. "He's fast asleep hon.. Shall I get him to give you a call when he wakes up?"

The phone was on speaker and Yugi looked up at the shocked look on his mother's face as she put two and two together about what her other son had been doing last night.

"Y..yes please." Yugi didn't know what else to say. It would have been really lame to say 'Yes, his mother is worried about him!'

Just then they heard his brothers voice in the background. "Have you seen my boxers? I can't find them anywhere." Yugi watched his mother's chin almost hit the duvet on his bed and had to stifle a snigger. He was suddenly feeling a bit envious of his brother.

Mai looked up at the slender, well sculpted young beau who had spent the night with her. He was standing before her bashfully trying to cover his private parts with his hands. "I picked them up and put them on the sofa with the rest of your clothes," she cooed.

He suddenly noticed her talking on his phone. "Who are you talking to?"

"Yugi... Your family are worried about you, I told him you are in safe hands." Mai winked and Atem's face went bright red when she stroked her hand over his chest as she handed him the phone.

"Y... Yugi!" His eyes almost popped out of his head when Mai started stoking him and with a wicked smirk sunk to her knees in front of him. "Look.." he coughed as Mai started to arouse him. "I gotta...go!" He took in a sharp intake of breath. "See you later.. K?" He hung up just as a cross between a growl and a moan escaped him.

Yugi stared at his phone in utter disbelief. What was that woman doing to his brother?! He had a pretty good idea! He suddenly found himself fantasising about Anzu doing that to him. He could feel himself becoming aroused at the thought. He felt really flustered with his mother sat on the end of his bed. She had a slightly horrified look on her face. "I will be down for breakfast in ten minutes okay." He said, willing his mother to go away so that he could take care of his sudden need.

Instead his mother stayed motionless on the end of his bed. _Just great.._ He rolled his eyes at his mother. "Mum! I can't get dressed with you here!"

She looked at him and attempted a smile. "I should be happy for Atem, but I'm so scared. My little boys are growing up so fast.. I am worried about you both leaving me... and doing things like this!"

"Like what?" Yugi frowned, not understanding what his mother was on about.

"Staying out all night with a woman.. Oh, I do hope he is being careful and has made a good choice... I knew it would happen at some point because women tend to go after famous men. But as a mother you can never prepare yourself for your children growing up. At least you are still my innocent baby. Please don't be in any hurry to jump into bed with the first woman that offers you sex Yugi. Anzu is a lovely girl, but you shouldn't be in any rush; there is plenty of time."

"Arghh.. Mum!." Yugi was beyond mortified. He had never been so embarrassed in his life. A sex talk from his mother was even worse than one from his grandfather!

Stepping out of the shower, Atem and Mai dried off and got dressed. Having spent the morning with her at her apartment, he decided that he should really be getting home.

"When can I see you again?" He asked.

Mai kissed him quickly on the lips and straightened out the collar on his shirt. "For sex! Or are you asking me to go out on a date with you?" She doubted that his finances could stretch to the kind of places she frequented. Burger World was way beneath her.

His face flushed. "A date of course. I would like to get to know you as a person."

"Honey, you really don't want to get to know me, I can assure you. Where would you take me?"

"I don't know... The cinema?" She looked blankly at him. "A picnic at the beach?"

"You're a real sweetie Atem, but I don't do relationships or go for picnics with teenage boys. I brought you home because you are hot and I wanted some fun, let's just leave it at that, heh?" Her remarks cut him and she couldn't help notice the look of hurt on his face. She had taken something precious from him; his virginity, and then stomped all over his young ego.

His fragile, teenage male pride was deeply wounded. He had always been brought up to treat people with respect and to be used by her like this was humiliating. Had what they shared last night and this morning really meant nothing too her? Had he disappointed her? "Forgive me if I'm being a bit thick, but did I do something wrong? Because I'm struggling to understand what it is."

"You did nothing wrong. It's me... I don't do relationships, but if I did I would be way out of your league." They were both unaware that his father was a Pharaoh!

"I beg your pardon! What makes you think you are out of my league?!" He was offended.

"What I mean is... my family are rich. I have always had everything money can give me." She paused momentarily, as memories of her lonely childhood, deprived of her parents affection came back to haunt her.

"Wealth doesn't necessarily mean a person has class," he said through gritted teeth. This woman was starting to irritate him.

When he looked up at her, he thought he saw a momentary glimpse of sadness, but it was soon gone. Before he had chance to ask her what was wrong she started talking again.

"Maybe not, but if I want to go shopping I go on a private jet to New York. I don't go to public cinemas, I go to Sadlers Wells or Paris to enjoy ballet. My life is totally different to yours. Plus you are still in high school." Her voice was cold.

"My lowly status didn't seem to bother you last night!" He felt like a fool having been taken for a ride. "Perhaps you should look at your true motives for pushing people away." His words hit a raw nerve and for a moment she looked like she might cry, but quickly regained her composure.

"I'm sorry if you feel hurt, but it's how it is. One day you will be a star player earning millions of Yen and will understand what it's like to enjoy the finer things in life. You are an intelligent, well educated, handsome young man, so I am sure you will succeed in life. Now, how are you getting home?"

"Erm.. I was gonna take the bus."

"Don't be silly. I wouldn't just love you and then throw you out," she winked at him. "I will drive you."

The ride home in Mai's powerful Nissan (Fairlady) 370Z sports car, with it's sports interior and leather upholstery gave Atem goosebumps. Mai didn't exactly drive slowly and Atem found it fun. He was already beginning to see what she meant by the finer things and when he passed his driving test, he wanted a car like this! It was far more exciting than the sensible Toyota hatchback car his family drove.

When she dropped him off outside the game shop, she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "See you around kiddo." He watched as she sped off.

Jonouchi had popped round to see what Yugi was doing today and Sugoroku had put him to work - cleaning the shop windows while Yugi worked his shift behind the counter. Jonouchi dropped his squeegee on the ground when he spotted Atem climb out of the sports car. "Wow! Who was that hot chick? I gotta get to know her." He had just caught a glimpse of Mai before she drove off.

"She's way out of our league buddy." Atem patted Jonouchi on the shoulder and strolled into the store where Yugi was sitting on a stool behind the counter grinning at him. He shot Yugi one of his own trademark smirks.

"Mum knows," Yugi informed him. "So be prepared for a lecture."

"How?!" Surely Yugi wouldn't have told her about the earlier conversation. Would he?

"She was listening in okay! How was I to know what you were up to when I rang you."

Atem huffed. "If I'm going to get a lecture, you're getting one too."

Jonouchi went to follow them upstairs but Sugoroku appeared and stopped him. "How about you wash the grit out of that squeegee you dropped in the dirt Jonouchi?"

But..." He was dying to hear Atem get a lecture on safe sex, but Sugoroku shook his head. "Okay Gramps, I get it," he sighed.

As soon as Sugoroku left him and went upstairs, Jonouchi sneaked upstairs to eves drop. This was too good to miss.

Upstairs, the boys mother was instructing Sugoroku to give them a good talking to.

"I'll be in my room." Yugi thought he could beat a hasty retreat and leave his brother to it.

"Yugi! You need to hear this too," Sugoroku said with a serious tone. Now, Hana, since this is man talk, I think I should speak to the boys alone."

"Oh! Well, I will be in the kitchen then." She was a little offended, but left the three Mutou males to have their conversation.

Sugoroku cleared his throat and closed the door so that she couldn't overhear. "Good, now that she's gone we can talk properly. That was quite some woman you spent the night with my boy!" He smirked proudly.

Jonouchi cursed silently when he heard the door close, obscuring the sound.

"Grandpa! I thought this was supposed to be a serious talk?" Yugi enquired.

"What's the point in that?! You are both sensible enough choose your partners carefully and use protection. There's not much more that this old man can do except be envious." He clamped his hands together. "Well, that's all I have to say on the matter."

Atem twiddled with his thumbs and gazed at the floor. He felt like a bit of a fool after last night. He hadn't even asked if Mai was on the pill, he had just assumed it. He had also been so carried away that he had totally forgotten about using a condom.

Sugoroku noticed his demeanour. "Are you okay my boy?" He squeezed Atem's shoulder.

"Yeah," he huffed, feeling a little nauseous. "I asked to see her again, but she told me I was just a one night stand. Guess I just made my first mistake."

"Just put it down to experience eh," Sugoroku smiled. "From what I saw when she dropped you home, she looked a bit high maintenance anyway. Now, how about we celebrate your fantastic victory instead. Your mother baked your favourite chocolate cake, " he smiled and Atem cheered up at the thought of chocolate cake.

* * *

 **I bet no one saw that coming! Atem x Mai... Don't worry, it is only a one off encounter. I do like to shock and I have a few more shocks in store before this story is finished!**

 **Please review.**


	9. Chapter 9

Just a reminder that when I mention football, it is not American football. It is what is referred to as 'soccer' in the USA.

No real warnings for this chapter... Might be one or two expletives, but nothing major.

The usual disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.

* * *

Broken Dreams.

Chapter 9 A Chance Meeting.

Back at school on Monday, the football team was honoured in the school assembly. The cup was given centre place in the trophy cabinet, and the boys in the team were called to a photo shoot so that a large plaque with a photograph of the team could be made to go on display in reception. Each team member was to have his name engraved at the bottom – to forever be honoured in Domino High School's hall of fame.

Atem found himself being mobbed when he and Yugi entered the school gates. Everyone suddenly wanted to be his best friend, and all the girls wanted to drape themselves over him.

"Lucky bastard," Jonouchi growled to Yugi and Honda as they watched Atem trying to push his way through his new fans so that he could make a dash for the boys rest room.

Safely inside, he leaned against the wall and groaned. "Why don't they go after the other players? Why me?!"

"I think you will find some of the other guys are getting attention too," Yugi informed him. "Only they seem to be enjoying it more than you."

"Well you can always give one or two of those phone numbers to me?!" Honda suggested.

"You er... have some lipstick on your cheek Yami," Yugi sniggered.

"What?! Ugh!" He dashed over to the mirror to check his face only to find Yugi was pulling his leg.

"Ha ha, very funny Yugi."

"Well, you should have remembered that the girls aren't allowed to wear lipstick in school," Yugi shrugged.

"Anyway, look at all those phone numbers! Must be some hot chicks amongst them?" Jonouchi hinted, holding out his hand.

"Yeah, some very hot chicks indeed," Atem said sarcastically. "Even a couple of boys came on to me!" He pulled a face when the other three started laughing.

"Who was that?!" Jonouchi gasped and then grinned. "You gonna take them up on the offer?"

"Don't be stupid! Course not. If you want to know? It was that boy Bakura said he thought was gay from class C. Kiyoshi Nagura."

"Kiyoshi Nagura! How does Bakura know he's gay?!" Yugi was naïve as always and had no idea Nagura preferred boys! He had got changed for gym class in front of him the other day! He hoped he hadn't flashed anything!

"Here." Atem handed Jonouchi two pieces of paper. One was written on pink note paper and smelled of perfume, with the name Suzi written on it. Atem didn't tell him it was the overweight girl with a very loud voice, from class D. He also handed him the note Nagura had given him, which read simply... call me, three kisses and the phone number.

"Ahh... sweet, beautiful women just desperate for a piece of me!" The other three boys grimaced at Jonouchi's desperate tone.

"What about me?!" Honda held his hand out. Atem slapped the rest of the notes with phone numbers into his hand.

"We had better get to class before we get in trouble for being late. I hope Sensei has all my stalkers under control."

Yugi opened the door. "Yeah, all clear. We had better make a break for it." The pair rushed out and hurried to their classroom, leaving Honda and Jonouchi fighting over the phone numbers.

Thankfully, their classmates left Atem alone for the rest of the day. The teacher gave them all a stern talking to, but his own classmates were not really a problem anyway because they all knew Atem well enough to not feel the need to harass him or Otogi; even though Otogi loved the attention he was getting.

Luckily, by the end of the week, things had settled back down again much to Atem's relief; he didn't enjoy being harassed or treated differently from his peers, he just wanted to be an ordinary student so that he could get on with his studies. However, he still made sure he got a couple of dates arranged for the weekend.

Jonouchi wasn't so fortunate. He had called Suzi and now couldn't get rid of her! He had also called the other number and Nagura was telling everyone that Jonouchi had asked him out! His macho image was in tatters and he needed to rebuild his reputation. "Help me out here you guys?! Tell them, I am _not_ gay!"

Yugi and Honda just fell about laughing as two boys from the year above them started harassing Jonouchi.

"Oh... man!" There was only one thing for it. "Dare to call me gay now! Ya morons." He let fly with his fists, leaving the two older boys laying on the ground groaning. He would probably wind up in the principals office again, but it was worth it to give these two tormentors a beating. Maybe people would leave him alone, and stop taking the piss now.

"What a week that was!" Yugi sighed as he and Anzu walked home holding hands.

"Yeah, and after trying all those numbers, those two losers _still_ couldn't get a date!" Anzu laughed.

"What was that?!" Jonouchi was walking just ahead and turned around abruptly, with a scowl on his face.

"Nothing!" Anzu cooed.

"Oh, I don't know," Atem added. "there was one person who would have gone out with you Jonouchi!"

"Make that two," Yugi sniggered. "Nagura and Suzi."

"Don't you fucking start that gay stuff again! I would hate to have to beat the crap out of my best friends!" Jonouchi growled.

Honda wrapped his arm around Jonouchi's neck. "Ooh...! I love it when you get angry. Give us a kiss?!"

"Arghh.. Not you too! Anyway, at least I had two people who would a dated me, so I can't be that unpopular!" He wriggled free and swung a punch at Honda, who ducked and grabbed his arm. The pair started shoving each other as they walked home from school. Neither could get the better of the other and they both ended up in the shrubs as they walked through the park.

::::::::::::

One month later.

With Jonouchi's reputation restored, he and Yugi made their way to school. Yugi had been helping Jonouchi deliver the last few newspapers so that he would make it on time for the start of lessons. It was Saturday morning and Yugi hated having to attend classes on a Saturday, but school was open as usual, for students to work on subjects in which they struggled, and neither Yugi or Jonouchi had done particularly well in their last maths assessment.

Of course, his brother was excused because he had football and Anzu did not attend either due to her ballet classes: She was working hard towards her assessment for her Advanced 2, and she was determined to score a distinction so that she could qualify to study to dance solo.

"Hey Yugi! Look at this? You're into Egypt and stuff aren't you?" Jonouchi always made sure he grabbed a couple of extra papers so that he would have at least one left over to read.

"Yeah, why?"

"Look at this?" He folded the paper back and handed it to Yugi with the advert for Domino Museum's latest exhibit.

Yugi read it out loud. "A celebration of Egyptian history and culture. A must not be missed opportunity to see this exclusive collection of exhibits... Put together by Ishizu Ishtar who is the Head of Egyptian Antiquities and a leading expert in Egyptian history. Hey! She's a friend of Grandpa! Says here she will be supervising the exhibit personally and hosting tours of the exhibit.. Cool!"

"Ugh! Creepy. Won't get me hanging round mummies and dead stuff... What if it's cursed." He shivered and made a 'bhoooo' sound, waving his arms around like he was a ghost.

"Don't be silly Jonouchi! This is history not some stupid B movie. There's no such thing as cursed mummies that kill people, in real life!"

"You sure Yugi?!"

"Yeah, I'm one hundred percent, totally certain... I can't wait for it to open to the public."

"When does it open?"

Yugi scanned the advert again. "It says here... during the spring holidays. That's one month from now."

The maths class was dull. Yugi found his concentration drifting. All he could think about was the exhibition and what exciting artefacts would be on show. Now that he thought about it, he found it strange that his grandfather had not told him about the exhibition. He knew Ishizu, so surely he must know about it. Maybe he just hadn't thought to say anything; he could be a bit vague and forgetful sometimes. Yugi decided to ask his grandfather about it later. Maybe his grandfather could get him a privileged sneak peak of the exhibit before it officially opened.

Finally, class was over. Jonouchi stood up and grabbed his book bag. "Man, that was boring!"

"Yeah," Yugi smiled, and gathering his own things, got up.

"Did you get any of that Yuge? Cuz I missed what the teacher said about the assignment."

"Assignment?!" Yugi looked at his book and both boys noticed that he had been doodling little pyramids and a funny drawing of a mummy wrapped in bandages chasing a little figure that looked like Jonouchi on his book.

"Guess you missed it too then. Man we're screwed," Jonouchi sighed.

"Not necessarily," Yugi had an idea. "Erm.. Sensei Chono? Do you have an extra copy of the assignment for my brother? Only he couldn't make it to class," he asked sheepishly.

"You should have written the questions out! Can he not copy yours?"

"Well... I have already written some of the answers in my book and I don't want him copying."

"Oh! Yes of course. Here... take this?" She was in a hurry to go home and get ready for the hot date she had planned for tonight, so she handed him her own sheet of paper without questioning him further.

"Man, you're a dark horse Yugi! How'd you learn to lie so good?" Jonouchi patted his friend on the back proudly as they left.

Yugi scratched his head timidly. "It's a gift. And it wasn't really a lie, more of a way to ensure we don't get into trouble." He knew Jonouchi was already bottom of the class and he didn't want his friend to slide any further, drop out and fail to graduate.

"Thanks man I owe you a burger." The two hurried out of school to meet up with their friends.

::::::::::::

It was half an hour before dance classes started and Anzu had arrived early so that she could practice on her own.

Dancing was her release. Whenever she felt down about something, or was stressed, dancing made her feel good. When she felt happy, dancing made her feel on top of the world.

Today however, she wasn't really in the mood to dance – she was feeling a little uptight and distracted because all she could think about was Yugi. They had been friends for many years, and it had been Eight months since they had started dating.

They had not talked about the incident at Christmas, when they had almost gone a little too far. Since then, he had been the perfect gentleman and been very respectful towards her. However, she was starting to get a little worried that he was being too gentlemanly. Because apart from holding hands and polite kisses, it was as if he was avoiding being alone with her.

Was this because he was afraid something might happen between them? Or was he going off her and didn't want to go out with her any more but was too polite to say anything?

Anzu wanted to talk to him about it but was too nervous. What if he dumped her because she hadn't had sex with him. She had overheard one or two of the older girls complaining about guys that only wanted to go out with them for sex. What if...?

No, Yugi wasn't like that!

Ugh! She hated feeling so insecure about this! She wished that she had a close female friend whom she could ask for advice. She certainly couldn't talk to her mother about it!

With her tension and stress levels soaring, her concentration waned. Moving into Third Arabesque, she lost balance and toppled over into an untidy heap on the floor. "Shit! Shit!" She had executed this move to perfection hundreds of times before.

"Anzu! Are you okay?" Her ballet teacher, Miss Kimi, came rushing into the empty studio.

Jumping quickly to her feet, Anzu stuttering with embarrassment. "Y.. yes, thank you. Nothing bruised except my pride."

"What bothers you my dear?" Feeling embarrassed, Anzu just sighed. Miss Kimi continued. "It worries me when my star pupil trips over her own feet! Is it a young man that upsets you?"

Anzu's shoulders sagged. "How did you guess Miss Kimi? It's my boyfriend, well, he's not so much a boyfriend, more like friend.. it's confusing."

"Is it the young man who sometimes comes to watch you dance?"

"Yes,Yugi. We have been friends since we were six, but we only started going out together about eight months ago. Trouble is, we seem to be stuck as just friends."

"Have you ever thought that he might just be afraid, or is unsure about how to progress a relationship without appearing pushy? He seems a fairly innocent, shy boy to me. Have you tried telling him how _you_ feel?"

"No! What if he doesn't feel the same way and..." She paused when it hit her. "Oh!" Her face flushed. "I think I see the problem now. How stupid of me for not realising it sooner. He's waiting for me to..." She had told him she wasn't ready! No wonder he was showing her so much respect!

"Perhaps one of you needs to find the confidence to make the first move."

"Thank You Miss Kimi, I will talk to him when I see him later."

Her gaze wandered past Miss Kimi, to a girl who had just appeared from the changing room and was standing in the doorway, fidgeting. How long had she been standing there? Anzu hoped she had not heard the conversation.

Miss Kimi noticed her looking and called the girl to come into the studio so she could introduce them. "Anzu, this is a Mana, she is all the way from Egypt, but speaks very good Japanese. She is new to ballet and will be joining us. Anzu is one of my most promising students," she added proudly.

All Mana could do was giggle, she had seen Anzu fall and her immediate thought was 'if the most promising student falls over then the rest must be terrible!" Miss Kimi had told her to wait in the hallway while she spoke to Anzu.

Much to Anzu's relief, she had not actually heard the conversation that had just taken place.

"Nice to meet you Mana," Anzu said through gritted teeth. _Sheesh, does this girl think I'm funny or something_?

"Hi," Mana said through her giggles.

"Perhaps you would like to run through some basic moves, to see what Mana knows," Miss Kimi suggested. It would also help the girls get to know one another. "I have to go and observe the class for the little ones in the other studio."

"Okay Miss Kimi." They watched the teacher leave and Anzu turned to Mana. "Right, Mana. If you can stop laughing for a moment, we can run through some warm up moves. Have you danced before?" Anzu was struggling to keep the irritation from her voice.

"Oh yes! All the time." There was that annoying giggle again. Mana could see the irritation on Anzu's face. "Sorry! It's just.. I can't stop giggling when I'm nervous."

"That's okay," Anzu smiled kindly. "Don't be nervous. Everyone here is really nice, you will enjoy yourself." She skimmed through the dance tracks on her phone and found a nice easy one to start.

"Okay Mana. Over to the rail and copy me." Mana followed her to the rail that ran along the length of the wall, with a huge mirror behind it. "We start in first position."

"First what?"

"First position. It's this. Stand behind me and do what I do." Anzu stood with her heels together and toes pointing out. Mana copied her. Anzu then bent at the knees and slid one foot up the inside of her leg as she straightened back up, pointing her leg out to the side. "This is our basic warm up, make sure your knee doesn't go over your toes," she informed a confused Mana. "Try to keep your bottom tucked under and back straight." She frowned when she looked at their reflections in the mirror. Mana had her bottom stuck out behind her.

"Ah ha." Mana was trying very hard to concentrate on following Anzu and had her tongue sticking out of her mouth, gripping it between her teeth. Anzu continued watching her reflection in the glass and shook her head at how inept she appeared.

"Have you ever had dance lessons before Mana?" Anzu doubted she had.

Mana's shoulders slumped. "I'm hopeless aren't I? My last teacher told me I was."

"No, no, no... I didn't mean it like that. You are not hopeless, just.. just." She was struggling to find the right way to describe it.

"Hopeless," Mana repeated.

"Not very experienced," Anzu finished. "Nothing a bit of practice can't fix. But you do need to relax your face and not chew your tongue. You might bite it off!" They both pulled faces at the gruesome thought.

"I knew it was a mistake to come here. I'm useless."

"Of course you're not useless. But maybe ballet isn't for you." Anzu tried her best to sound sympathetic towards the hapless, two left footed girl.

"I knew it! I'm hopeless. Maybe I would be better off doing gymnastics instead," she sighed.

It was soon time for the lesson to start. As expected, Mana struggled to keep up with the rest of the class and kept getting her feet tied up. After tripping and going to the left instead of right and bumping into one of the other dancers, knocking her over, she was asked to sit out the rest of the lesson. Anzu felt sorry for her and decided to ask her if she wanted to join her for coffee afterwards.

Mana brightened up at the offer. "Yes please..I would love to."

"Some of my friends might be there as well. I will introduce you." She refrained from telling her that she was meeting her boyfriend and his two friends Jonouchi and Honda. She hoped that Mana might get on with one of them, since neither had a girlfriend at the moment.

Arriving at the coffee shop, Anzu was surprised to see that Atem was also there. She had thought he would still be at training!

"Hey Anzu!" Yugi stood up to greet her.

Anzu noticed all four boys were gazing at Mana, making the poor girl feel embarrassed.

"Guys, this is my friend Mana from dance class... Mana, meet my boyfriend Yugi." Mana thought she might have heard his name mentioned at home but wasn't sure. Yugi bowed politely. Remembering what she had learnt about Japanese custom, Mana bowed in return.

"This is Atem – we call him Yami though. He's Yugi's twin brother, and is a professional footballer."

Atem stood and bowed. "I _hope_ to be a professional footballer one day," he said modestly. "Nice to meet you Mana." A spark passed between them when their eyes met, and Mana had the feeling she recognised him from somewhere. Like Yugi, Atem's name was also familiar. But she didn't say anything.

"And Jonouchi and Honda," Anzu continued. Both boys nodded and Jonouchi stood up to offer his hand in a hi five.

"Nice ta meet Ya Mana." The two slapped palms.

"What would you both like to drink?" Yugi offered.

"It's okay Yugi, I will get mine and Mana's drinks." Anzu went to the counter with Mana.

Having noticed Atem and Mana's body language, Anzu decided to do a little match making. "I think Yami likes you," she whispered to Mana. "What do you think?"

Mana giggled. "He's cute..." she said shyly.

Her eyes suddenly widened. "Atem Mutou! My brother and his wife took me to watch him play football!" She blurted as she remembered Ishizu being interested in him for some reason. "Oops!" She hadn't meant to voice her thoughts. The Tomb Keepers were not common knowledge and she had not been told why Ishizu was so interested in the Mutou family, but guessed it had something to do with magic or some ancient prophecy shown to Ishizu by her Tauk. Mana didn't really enjoy all the secrets; she wanted to be a normal teenager, but thanks to her family's heritage, that could never be. She hoped her new friends would not find out she was a trainee sorcerer; they might think she was a freak. If they knew that she had not had time to learn Japanese before moving here. so had been required to use magic in order to speak and understand it so perfectly, they would probably not want to be friends with her.

Anzu broke her from her thoughts. "You were at the cup final? I don't know much about football but he scored an amazing goal.. He's very talented."

"Yes, but with his looks, I bet he has tons of girlfriends." She really hoped that he didn't.

"No, he hasn't got anyone steady. He comes across as bold and confident, but that's just a cover up. Deep down he is a bit shy."

"Really!" Mana's cheerful demeanour returned and she and Anzu both started giggling.

"Hey Yuge," Jonouchi nudged his shorter friend. "What do you think those girls are whispering and giggling about?" He narrowed his eyes suspiciously as he watched them talking while they waited to be served.

"Not sure..." he smirked. "But I have a pretty good idea..." He levelled his smirk at his brother, making Atem sit up straight.

Atem, had his back to the girls and couldn't see them so he twisted round in his chair to look, only to find both girls looking right at him. His eyes went wide and when he blinked, Mana turned her face away quickly.

He turned back to face the table, blushing. Picking up his coffee, he took a gulp without checking it was cool enough. It was still too hot and he flinched when it burnt his tongue.

Yugi, Jonouchi and Honda sniggered as he spat the coffee back into the mug and fanned his tongue with his hand. "Not funny," he growled, trying to suck in some cool air. "Get me some water, quick?!"

"Is that a request or an order?" Jonouchi was finding Atem's discomfort amusing.

Yugi on the other hand stopped laughing and was feeling concerned for his brother. "Is your mouth badly burned?" He bent forward to study his brother's face.

Atem shook his head. "No, but my tongue is on fire! I would like some water please?" Yugi patted his brother on the shoulder and went over to where Anzu was now being served.

"Is Yami alright Yugi?" Anzu enquired.

"Yeah, bit of a mishap with his coffee. I have come to get some water for his scalded tongue."

"Oh dear!" Mana felt a pang of concern for the young man, she felt partly responsible for making him feel uneasy and burning his tongue.

The barista gave Yugi a glass of cold water. He handed it to Mana. "Here, you take this over to him? I want to talk to Anzu."

"ME?!" Mana squeaked. "O..okay." As she carried it over to him, visions of tripping up and throwing it over him went through her mind, but she made it safely and he accepted the glass from her gratefully. He sipped the contents of the glass, allowing the cold liquid to flow soothingly over his tongue.

Mana sat down awkwardly in the only available chair, right next to him.

"Were you trying to set Mana up with my brother?" Yugi whispered to Anzu as he picked up the tray to carry it for her.

"Were we that obvious?" She groaned.

"Yup! If it's any help, I think he fancies her. He got embarrassed when he caught you looking at him and scalded his tongue on his coffee."

"Oh dear," Anzu frowned. "Perhaps I shouldn't interfere."

"Just leave them to it," he advised, taking the tray over and setting it down on on the table.

After they had all finished their drinks they decided to head to the arcade.

The friends all crowded round as Yugi and Atem challenged each other on a two player game. The pair easily got through each level, with neither giving away anything and their scores matching point for point.

Word quickly spread to gamers playing nearby and soon a small crowd had gathered round to watch the two brothers as they eclipsed the current high scores.

"Who's KAI?" Anzu wondered. Everyone just shrugged, until someone in the crowd said "Kaiba!"

"What?! As in Kaiba Corp. You mean that Jerk that hosted the regional duel monsters finals?" Jonouchi questioned.

"Yeah, that's the one. He's the new CEO. He came in here last week and the owner chucked us all out so he could have the place all to himself." A disgruntled voice came from the crowd watching.

"Yes," Mana added. "I've heard of him. My brother likes to follow the news, he said the owner committed suicide after his stepson initiated a boardroom takeover and kicked him out! It was a few days ago."

Some people nodded and confirmed they had heard about it, the rest didn't really care.

All the while Yugi and Atem were busy concentrating on their game and oblivious to the conversations around them. As master gamers they both had the ability to shut out anything that might distract them. However, a small piece of Atem's mind was thinking about how to ask Mana to go on a date with him. When he finally managed to edge his score above Yugi's, Mana, who was secretly rooting for him to win, let out an excited whoop! Knowing that it was a cheer for him, Atem felt his heart skip and for a split second he faltered. The game had reached such a level that one momentary lapse was all it took to lose. _GAME OVER_ flashed on his side of the field and _YOU WIN_ flashed on Yugi's.

"Yes!" Delighted at beating his brother, Yugi jumped up and pumped his fist in the air.

"Way to go Yuge!" Jonouchi clamped him on the back and then grabbed him in one of his over zealous headlocks, almost crushing the life out of him.

Anzu angrily grabbed his arm and pulled Jonouchi off, "Do you always have to be so rough?! Yugi can hardly breathe." She gave Yugi a rather more gentle hug, "Well done Yugi, you were awesome."

"Yeah," Atem conceded, accepting his defeat gracefully, "you were awesome Yugi, I couldn't maintain my concentration. You deserved to win," he smiled and clasped Yugi's hand to congratulate him.

Checking the time on her phone, Mana gasped. "Oops! I was meant to be home half an hour ago." She had two missed calls where her worried brother had tried to ring her. "Nice meeting you all, bye.."

"Mana! Wait?" Atem called desperately, meeting her gaze. "Where do you live? I will walk you home if you like..?" His face flushed slightly when he heard Jonouchi wolf whistle. He did his best to ignore it. When Yugi also started sniggering, Anzu poked him in the ribs and slapped Jonouchi on the side of the head, hissing at the pair of them to stop being so childish.

"Y.. yes, okay." Mana's face flushed and she giggled bashfully.

Once they got outside, Atem breathed a sigh of relief. "Ignore my brother and Jonouchi, they can be idiots sometimes."

"Really?!" She feigned ignorance. "I didn't even notice." She burst out laughing. "Come on, it's this way – thirty minutes walk or ten minutes bus ride. But I prefer to run!" She grinned at him cheekily, as if challenging him.

"You want a race?" He smirked, raising his eyebrows. "You're on." He could run hard for ninety minutes on the football pitch and was pretty fast on his feet. He didn't expect to lose.

"You don't even know where were going," she teased. Tying the straps of her back pack round her waist so it wouldn't bounce around on her back, she prepared to go. "I live by Domino Lake, Eastern District."

Atem raised his eyebrows. "Pretty big houses round there." He guessed her parents must be loaded. He didn't have time to ask as Mana shouted. "Snooze, you lose!" And started running.

She was fast, but not too fast for him and he caught up with her and could have easily left her, but decided to run alongside her. "Am I going too fast for you?" He teased, barely out of breath.

She was breathing hard, but as the cross country champion and track star at her old school, she wasn't about to slow and let him think she couldn't keep up. "I.. haven't.. ev..en warmed..up yet!" She shouted back, between breaths.

They were getting close to where she lived now. "Okay, time to up the pace then," he winked, before sprinting off and leaving her behind. Mana was extremely impressed with his sporting prowess and did her best to keep pace, but he was far to good and she was soon lagging some way behind. She resisted the urge to cheat by using magic.

As he rounded the corner onto Lakeside Road, he realised that he didn't know which house she lived at. Deciding that he would stop at the entrance to the park surrounding the lake, he turned round to wait for her to catch up with him, only for her to stop, some 100 metres further back and shout, "You lose," before disappearing down a side turning. He ran back to join her and found her stopped in front of a large, modern detached house.

"Wow! You can run pretty fast," she grinned, crouching over with her hands on her thighs, panting hard.

He mimicked her action, himself panting hard. "Yeah, I train hard for my sport, but Yugi is actually a bit faster than me, we often race against each other," he panted. "You run pretty well too," and then cheekily added, "for a girl." The rude comment earned him a punch to the arm.

"Ow!" He chuckled, "That hurt!" She could obviously punch too. He didn't really mind her punching him, he liked her and felt as if he could be himself and not put on an act with her. "Is that where you live?" He stood up straight.

"Yes, I moved here a few weeks ago, with my big brother and his wife. My brother is really cool but a bit nerdy. He studies a lot, which is why he's nerdy, but he's a master magician and does these awesome tricks and illusions, which make him super cool." She was rambling on excitedly now and Atem smiled as he listened, finding her excitable chatter rather cute. "He tries to teach me his magic tricks, but I'm really useless and keep messing them up. You will have to meet him, I think you guys would really hit it off. Anyway, I better get inside before my brother throws a hissy fit at me for being late. Thanks for walking me home."

Atem smiled warmly at her ability to talk without barely taking a breath. Yugi could be like that when he got really fired up with excitement about something. "I.. was wondering." He scratched the back of his head, which was a nervous trait that both he and Yugi shared. "If you would like to come on a date with me? You don't have to if you don't want to, but I thought maybe..."

"YES!" She almost shrieked with delight. "I would love to."

"You would?!" He almost sounded surprised. A lovely big, warm smile lit up his features and Mana's knees almost turned to jelly at the sight. "How about Wednesday? I can pick you up at seven and we could go to the cinema, or whatever... I will let you choose what film we see."

"Yes, okay.. See you Wednesday, at seven." She slowly backed away up the driveway. "Bye Yami," she waved at him as she went and was not looking where she was going.

The next thing she knew, she was on her back in the flowerbed. Atem grimaced and came running over to help her up. "Mana! Are you okay?" He took her hand and she bounced to her feet with her face bright red from the embarrassment she felt at being so clumsy.

"Yes.. Silly me.. I should look where I'm going."

"You should." He deftly started picking bits of foliage from her hair. He then noticed that she had a spider in her hair. It was quite a large Harvest Spider, with a round body and long skinny legs. He picked it out. "Oops, hold on while I remove this spider."

At the mention of the word 'spider _'_ she startled and shrieked. Throwing her arms around his neck and legs round his waist, she clung to him. Atem instinctively wrapped his own arms under her bottom to stop her falling back down.

At that moment the front door opened. Mahado had heard the commotion outside and had come to investigate. "Mana! What _are_ you doing?" He was shocked to see her with dirt and bits of Ishizu's prize geraniums stuck to her clothing and hair, and with her arms and legs wrapped around the body of a young man!

She slowly slid to the ground as they let each other go. "Hi Mahado!" She grinned. "This is Yam... Atem, he was just rescuing me from the jaws of a giant hairy spider, after I tripped and fell in the flowerbed."

Mahado just stood there staring in surprise before blurting. "Atem! Atem Mutou?!"

"Er... yeah, but my friends call me Yami. Do I know you?!" He racked his brains to see if he could recall ever having met this tall, dark skinned man.

* * *

 **Please review.**


	10. Chapter 10

Slight adult themes in this chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.

* * *

Broken Dreams

Chapter 10. Dressed to Impress.

Atem felt tired from all training he had done today, followed by running all the way to Mana's house. It would probably take at least forty minutes to walk home so he decided to take the bus.

The sun was beginning to set now and the temperature was dropping fast. He hoped the bus would arrive on time because he was only wearing a long sleeved tee shirt, track pants with a hooded top and trainers. He had also got a little sweaty from running with Mana, and the damp feeling inside his shirt was making him shiver. He pulled the hood over his head, thrust his hands into his pockets and huddled inside the bus shelter.

Luckily, he only only had to wait five minutes before his bus turned up. It wasn't a busy part of the route and there were still plenty of seats. He showed his student bus pass to the driver and then made his way to the back of the bus and sat down.

As the bus moved off, his thoughts turned to Mana and her brother. He really liked Mana and couldn't wait to see her again, but her brother bothered him. The way he had reacted had been a bit strange. Of course, from Mahado's view point, it probably didn't look good when he saw his kid sister in the clutches of a young man dressed in dark clothing, and with slightly outrageous hair! People often got the wrong idea when they first saw him and Yugi, thinking they were a pair of punks. But they couldn't help the way their hair grew!

Atem felt it was more than that though. The way Mahado had stared at him and repeated his name had been weird. After Mahado had overcome the initial shock of seeing him there, his look had turned to recognition and then something akin to awe; like he was looking at Royalty – It wasn't as though he was even _that_ famous... yet!

Atem suddenly let out an involuntary snort, prompting a woman sitting nearby to glance over her shoulder and shoot him a disparaging look. He smiled at her and when she didn't look away, he winked. She huffed and promptly turned away again.

The bus rounded the corner and passed by Domino Park. Atem got up and pressed the bell. The next stop after the Park was the closest to his house.

Sugoroku was sitting behind the counter dozing in a chair when he entered the shop. It seemed that even the bell on the door hadn't woken him! "Grandpa! I'm home," he called loudly, causing the elderly Mutou to startle slightly and wake up. "Grandpa! If you're tired and there's no one to cover for you, close up the shop. Anyone could have sneaked in an burgled us!" He scolded.

"I was only resting my eyes... I knew you were there," he lied.

"Yeah right! Mum says you shouldn't work such long hours at your age. And I would tend to agree."

"I don't need a lecture from my grandson, " he said tersely, making Atem feel guilty. His grandfather didn't like to be reminded that he was officially a pensioner.

"Sorry Grandpa, I didn't mean to have a go at you. But you can't be too careful these days, people can't be trusted like they could in the old days, and you are not a young man any more."

"Yes, well I am still quite capable of defending myself." He pulled a baseball bat out from under the counter and waved it about threateningly.

"Whoa Grandpa!" Atem held his hands up in mock defence to humour him.

"Anyway," he placed the baseball bat back down. "Yugi was supposed to be minding the shop this evening, but he phoned to say he wouldn't be home."

"Didn't you remind him of his duty?"

"Oh, I couldn't be that harsh. It sounded like your brother had something far more exciting planned, if you know what I mean," he winked.

"Oh!" Atem's eyes went wide at what his grandfather was implying.

"Anyway, you're also late. Where have you been my boy?"

"I was also getting lucky," he smirked. "I have arranged to see her on Wednesday. It's seven o'clock, shall I flip the closed sign and lock up now?"

"Yes please. So who is the lucky young lady?"

"Her name is Mana. It was weird, her brother looked at me like he knew me. I can't believe that I'm already that famous, after winning just one match!"

"Mana! Her brother's name, was it Mahado by any chance?"

"Yeah! How?" Atem's eyebrows rose in surprise.

"I might have mentioned you and Yugi to him and proudly showed him your photograph. He is married to my friend Ishizu. They have moved here because Ishizu is organizing an exhibit at the museum. I was going to tell Yugi about it this evening if he had come home as I know he will be interested."

"Ah... well that would explain his reaction too me then." Atem finished bolting the door and set the alarm. If Yugi came back later he would have to use the fire escape at the back of the shop to get inside. He had a key.

::::::::::::

After saying goodbye to their friends, Yugi walked Anzu home. He was feeling a little worried, she had been rather quiet and seemed tense. "Is everything okay Anzu? Have I done something wrong?" He asked nervously.

"No! Of course not Yugi! It's just... I've have been thinking... Do you want to come inside?" Her voice was slightly tight and shaky. Yugi felt a lump in his throat and a heavy feeling in his chest. Oh no! She was going to dump him!

"Yes, if your parents don't mind," he said quietly.

"They're not here. They've gone away for the weekend. We have the place to ourselves." She took his hand and smiled nervously.

"Oh... oh!" Yugi felt his dread turn to excitement as he realised he wasn't about to be dumped after all. His heart rate increased as a sudden rush of blood flowed to a certain area of his body. Was she asking him to stay the night? He swallowed slowly. "Y.. yeah.." He tried not to sound terrified.

Once inside they kicked off their shoes and hung their jackets on the coat hooks in the hallway. "I'm surprised you didn't ask everyone back for a movie night," he wondered.

"I don't think I could put up with having to clear up the mess Jonouchi and Honda make. Not to mention they would eat all the food in my mum's cupboards and fridge. No, I wanted it to just be you and me." There was an awkward silence before Yugi spoke.

"Should I er... ring Grandpa and tell him I won't be home tonight?"

"If you like." Anzu felt her face heat up. Yugi saw her blush and his face started to heat up as well. "Do you want a drink? Hot chocolate or something.." she suggested.

"No, I'm still full from the burger and milk shake we had earlier. I wouldn't mind some water though." He could feel his mouth drying up.

He sat down at the kitchen table and phoned his grandfather, while Anzu poured two glasses of water.

She placed them on the table and sat next to him. "well, it's been a while since we had a sleepover."

"Yeah, last one was at Ryou's apartment. We played games and watched horror films," he recalled.

Anzu started laughing. "Jonouchi was frightened and wanted to sleep between you and Honda!"

"Don't remind me! He drooled on my shoulder!" He grimaced at the thought. "Mind you Bakura does like some pretty gory films. I think Yami was scared too but he would never admit it."

"I kept my eyes tightly shut through most of it," she giggled.

"So did I," he admitted. They both started laughing.

"I wonder how Yami is getting on with Mana," Anzu wondered.

"She seems pretty nice, I think they will suit each other. It's about time my brother found a really nice girl. I think that experience with Mai upset him a bit. He wasn't expecting to get dumped like that," Yugi said thoughtfully. "Despite the image he gives off, he is quite sensitive and easily hurt."

"Yugi?" Anzu said, after another silent pause. "You know what almost happened between us at Christmas?"

"Yeah..." He nodded and turned side on in his chair to face her.

"I said I wasn't ready then. I don't want you to think I don't like you that way. I just didn't want to rush things."

"That's okay." He took her hands and squeezed them gently. "I think I understand... Don't think you have to... I'm not like some other guys! You must know me well enough to know that I would never force you. I want to stay the night with you but I won't ask you to do anything you don't like!"

Anzu let go of his hands and threw her arms around him. "I'm so lucky to have you, you are the sweetest guy ever." She felt him nervously slide his arms around her waist and hug her tightly. They stayed like this for a few minutes and she wished her parents had left some more wine in the fridge to help relax them both, because right now she was terrified.

Suddenly, she had a good idea how she might quell their apprehension. "How about I put on some music and teach you some more dance steps?"

"Could you show me what you have been learning for your exam?"

"Yeah, okay." She leaped up and grabbed his hand, dragging him to the sitting room with her. They pushed the sofa back against the wall so that she had room to dance.

"This is part of the routine I am learning," she informed him as she waited for the right piece of music to start. He watched in awe as she twirled around. She finished her routine by throwing herself onto the sofa where he was sitting, falling back against him, out of breath and laughing.

"That was amazing.." he gazed at her and blurted. "You're beautiful."

Feeling a sudden rush of bravery he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close into a heated kiss. It was the most passionate they had been since Christmas and he had almost three months of pent up desire built up inside him. If he had been feeling aroused before, he was now positively bursting. And it didn't help that he could feel the back of Anzu's legs pressing down on him as she sat across his lap.

His hands pushed their way inside her blouse and when she wriggled around to make herself more comfortable, her thigh brushed against him quite firmly. He hoped she had done it deliberately and he was unable to stifle the small moan that escaped him. Instinctively, he pressed himself against her. He had to have her, but he had promised not to do anything without her consent. What should he do? One thing he _was_ sure of, was if they carried on, he might not be able to stop.

Abruptly, he pulled away. "Sorry Anzu... I can't."

Anzu felt a little quiver run through her, igniting a fire deep inside her lower abdomen. Her normally shy polite boyfriend was a tiger once he got going and she loved it. When he had pulled her across his body, her thigh brushed over him and she could feel him through his jeans. Something naughty and daring sparked inside her and she couldn't resist rubbing her thigh against him causing him to moan and shudder as he pressed against her even harder. She wanted him just as much as she knew he wanted her.

Then suddenly, he stopped and apologized.

"Yugi! What's wrong?"

"We shouldn't be doing this! Not if you're not ready.." he frowned. "I'm afraid I won't be able to stop myself. I should go." He tried to stand up but with Anzu still clinging to him he found it difficult to move.

"I don't want you to go. Who said I wanted you to stop?! I thought we were both ready for this." There, she had finally managed to tell him. In the heat of the moment, she had more or less told him she wanted to make love with him.

His eyes turned into flying saucers. "You mean.. you're ready for this?!" His heart was now thumping inside his chest as his anticipation grew. He was excited and nervous all at the same time and he could feel his skin tingling. "Here, or upstairs?" That wasn't really what he had intended to say and he didn't really know why he said it, but his brain wasn't really functioning properly right now.

"Upstairs.. I guess." She felt a bit awkward on her parents sofa with a picture of them looking at her from the top of the bookcase. She knew they would disapprove of what she was about to do. A small seed of doubt was beginning to grow.

As they passed through the hallway, he reached inside his jacket. "I er.. have protection." Looking embarrassed again, he pulled a small foil package from the inside pocket. Anzu smiled and tried to act normally; she knew all the boys at school kept condoms in case they got lucky! It hadn't occurred to her that _her_ Yugi would also do the same.

Good job he did! Because it was not something she thought of keeping and she certainly didn't want to go rifling through her fathers drawers in search of something they could use to prevent the possibility of an unwanted pregnancy!

Once inside her bedroom their timid shyness around one another returned. Anzu almost regretted moving from the sofa to her bedroom because it had interrupted their moment and she was now starting to feel nervous again. Maybe they weren't really ready for this after all.

Yugi must have sensed her apprehension. "You know, we really don't have to if you don't want." He didn't want to admit that he wasn't feeling too confident about this either all of a sudden. Sure, he wanted to feel like a man instead of a boy, but he still had a low self esteem when it came to his physical appearance. He was puny, and while his ongoing puberty had resulted in his voice finally getting deeper, along with some development... where it mattered! He still felt inadequate. His mother was right when she had told him not to rush into it.

"How about we just cuddle and watch a film instead?" He suggested.

"Yes, I would like that, we have all the time in the world for sex. We could just get a little more adventurous each time we kiss and when the time is right, it will just happen." The smile on Anzu's face was one of relief. Physically, she was more than ready. Emotionally, she wasn't sure. She loved him and would have gone through with it to please him. But she was in conflict with her upbringing, which had instilled into her a sense that virginity was something to be treasured and kept for the right person, not something to be thrown away because of peer pressure. She was certain Yugi was the 'right person', but they were not even seventeen yet, so it wouldn't hurt to wait a little longer. "Promise me something Yugi?"

"Huh?!"

"You will talk to me about your feelings won't you?"

"Yeah, of course I will. Just as long as you talk to me too!" He looked at her face with a serious expression. "Only I sense that we have both been bottling things up. I seriously thought you were gonna dump me earlier."

"Really?! I thought you were going off me and were going to dump me!" They both started laughing.

Anzu found Yugi a spare toothbrush and dug him out a pair of her pyjamas, that were baggy enough to hopefully fit him, and thankfully, not pink! Because of his lack of height, they were slightly long on him, but the elasticated waist stretched just enough to fit his broader, masculine waist. However, since they were shaped for the female body, they were baggy around his bottom. Surprisingly, the top was a little tight across his shoulders and chest. Anzu smiled proudly at this. "You must be growing Yugi."

"I hope so," he looked at himself in the mirror and pouted. "I look and feel silly."

"You look cuddly," she sniggered.

"Cuddly! Well I suppose that's good if you want to cuddle me, right?!" He sniffed the sleeve and pulled a serene face. The pyjamas smelt of Anzu. "Mmmm... I could cuddle me." He was suddenly glad that they were baggy around the hips because the sudden thought that they had been on her body, and therefore in contact with intimate areas started to have a profound effect on him.

Despite the baggy pants she still noticed. "Yugi! You had better not do anything... you know.. like guys do... in them!" She laughed a little. "I can't believe I just thought something like that! Gross..."

"Anzu! That was dirty! But I won't, I promise," he said sheepishly, because he wasn't sure he could keep that promise!

The following morning, Yugi and Anzu got dressed and had breakfast. Yugi sat with his elbows on the table and his chin resting on his hands, lovingly watching Anzu as she cooked him scrambled eggs. This was his idea of domestic bliss. He found himself daydreaming that one day, they would be doing just this but as husband and wife. He would have a well paid job and would be able to look after her and all their children. How many children would they have? It wasn't something he really wanted to imagine; children were scary!

"What are you thinking about Yugi? If you're imagining me as a domestic goddess, forget it! This is a one off special treat. When we're married, I will expect you to take your turn at the cooking.." She slapped her hand over her face when she realised what she had just said. "I mean.. IF.." she trailed off when a big beaming smile crossed his face.

"Married! You really mean that?! Do you really want to marry someone like _ME?"_

"Why wouldn't I?! You are a really nice guy Yugi. Despite your lack of self confidence you have a lot going for you." She placed the eggs in front of him and sat down with her own plate.

"Like what?" He really couldn't see what she or any girl would see in him.

"Well, you're smart: you could do a lot better at school if you had more confidence and tried harder. You are kind, thoughtful, fun to be with and you make me laugh – making each other laugh is a good thing. I know you don't think you are, but you _are_ good looking. In fact, now you are growing up, I think you are starting to get better looking than Yami."

"Thanks," he beamed, "you always know how to make me feel good." He took a mouthful of breakfast.

They ate in silence for a few minutes until he spoke again.

"Mmm, this is nice. I think you will make a perfect domestic goddess... Marry me?" With a cheeky grin, he put his hands together pleadingly.

"Watch it buster!" Anzu pulled off a corner of her bread and threw it at him.

After they had finished eating, they cleared up the kitchen and then went round to Yugi's house. Yugi was keen to ask his grandfather if he knew anything about the exhibit, and both he and Anzu were keen to quiz his brother about Mana.

Since it was Sunday, and finding the entrance via the shop locked, Yugi took Anzu up the fire escape and onto a small roof garden where his mother grew herbs and a few salad vegetables in pots. The door leading into the kitchen area was already unlocked and they walked in to find Sugoroku and Hana sitting drinking Coffee and reading the morning papers, while Atem was social networking on his I-pad.

"Hi," Yugi said sheepishly.

"Oh! Good morning Yugi, Anzu. Did you have a good night?" Sugoroku said without really thinking what that implied.

Yugi and Anzu both blushed. Anzu pursed her lips in slight annoyance and Yugi snapped. "We watched movies!"

"I.. I didn't mean..." Sugoroku started to defend.

"Nice one Grandpa! Way to put your foot in it," Atem sniggered.

"Stop teasing them you two," Hana scolded and then offered them some coffee which they both declined.

"I didn't say anything!" Atem complained, but couldn't help smirking and giving Yugi a thumbs up.

Hana saw his gesture and prodded him with the soup ladle she was drying up. "Don't you have to get ready for your game?"

"I don't have to be there until twelve thirty, kick off isn't until three."

Deciding it was easier just to let his brother think they _had_ slept together, Yugi didn't say anything. He just smiled back at his brother, earning him a slightly annoyed look from Anzu. "I er.. just need to go and change my clothes. Only, I wore these yesterday. I won't be long." He beat a hasty retreat to his room.

"I had better go and start getting ready too." Atem got up and followed him. "Finally! You dog... it's about time you two got it together." He congratulated Yugi by patting him on the back.

Yugi turned crimson. "Yami! Stop teasing me?!... I'm not like you or Jonouchi or Honda. It's not something I like to brag about... for Anzu's sake. I respect her."

"Oh you do, do you buster!" Both boys turned to see Anzu standing there looking a little annoyed.

"Anzu!" They both gasped at the same time.

"Then why don't you tell your brother the truth Yugi?!" She cocked an eyebrow at him.

Yugi suddenly looked very sheepish. "I er... I was about to, you didn't give me chance!" He squeaked.

"Truth about what?" Atem asked dumbly.

"Well Yugi?!" Anzu raised her eyebrows at her boyfriend. "Prove to me that you're not just like all the rest of your gender. Admit to him that we didn't actually do anything last night."

"What?! You mean you had the chance and you... Ow!" Atem jumped when Anzu swatted him round the back of the head.

"And I would expect you to have a little more respect too," she finished angrily.

"You're right," Atem conceded, while rubbing the his head. "Sorry, I won't say anything to Jonouchi, I promise. Now if you two love birds.. oops!" He sniggered, ducking another punch and dashing towards his bedroom. "If you will excuse me, I have to get ready."

Anzu turned to a rather scared looking Yugi. "As for you Mister!" She grabbed his collar and pulled him into his room.

"I'm sorry! I was going to tell the truth, honest! I just didn't get chance." She pushed him up against the wall. "It's not that bigger deal!" He tried to protest. Okay, so he might have let his brother believe that they had slept together, but he hadn't _actually_ lied or boasted. He flinched slightly when she leant against him, squashing him into the wall. She could be quite fierce when she was angry.

Suddenly a smirk broke out across her features and she started laughing. "Oh God! If you could see your face, its priceless!" His look of fear had turned to confusion and Anzu was finding very hard to be truly annoyed with him. "Think your self lucky you are so cute and irresistible." She started kissing him.

For a moment he froze, unsure what to do. "Huh.. hmmm," he murmured into the kiss as a smile crept across his face.

Anzu felt him smile as he returned the kiss.

After a few moments they broke apart. "So you're not still mad at me?" He asked tentatively.

"Do I look mad?" She tried to pull a tern face, failing miserably.

"You look daft." She swatted him playfully in response.

"Anyway, weren't you going to get changed?" She asked.

"Yeah... but.. well you're here."

"So! Are you embarrassed to change in front of me? And this is the guy who let his brother think we had slept together, but doesn't want me to see him in his underwear."

"Well technically, we did sleep together, just not in the have sex kind of way," he insisted. "And anyway, it feels weird changing with someone watching." His body image was the main reason he did not want her to see him naked. "And I need clean boxers too."

Anzu rolled her eyes. "Well I promise not to look then. But at least let me choose your clothes for you." She started going through his wardrobe. "Gosh! You don't have many clothes do you? I really should take you shopping."

"I don't need much! When I get my growth spurt I will grow out of everything anyway. And besides, I can wear Yami's cast offs."

Anzu started sniggering when she pulled out a pair of Scooby Doo boxers. "Really Yugi?"

He snatched them. "They don't fit me anymore. And I used to like Scooby Doo when I was a kid! How about I go through your underwear drawer next time I'm over. I bet you still have frilly princess clothes."

"I don't actually. I gave them all to my cousin. Anyway, girls are allowed to go through their boyfriends wardrobe to ensure they have good dress sense. Boys only go through girls wardrobes to be perverted."

"That's not true," he scowled, gesturing her to turn away so he could take off his shirt and trousers. "Right, I'm taking off my boxers now, so don't turn around."

"What?" Anzu turned round. "Aakkk, sorry! Didn't see anything, honest!"

"ANZU!" He hastily tried to cover himself up. As quickly as he could, he pulled on clean boxers followed by the shirt and jeans Anzu had chosen.

As he was doing so Atem hammered on the door. "Is everything okay in there? I heard you both scream and wondered if you were trying out something new." He started sniggering.

"Go away Yami!" They both chorused.

::::::::::::

Wednesday evening could not come around quickly enough for Atem.

Standing in front of the mirror, he could not decide what to wear. Should he go casual? Black tank top, dark blue jeans and studded leather boots, finished off with a black denim jacket and some leather accessories – or go for something a little more conservative? He couldn't decide.

Yugi had decided to make a nuisance of himself and was sitting on the bed offering advice; most of which was useless. "What about this?" Sniggering, Yugi held up a Hawaiian print, short sleeved shirt and waved it under his nose.

"Are you kidding? It's the end of February. And we're going to the cinema not the beach." He snatched the shirt and threw it into the corner. "If you want to help, be useful – otherwise piss off."

"What were you wearing when you met her?" Yugi tried to recall what his brother had been wearing, but since he had not been paying any attention, he could not remember.

Atem thought for a moment. "I had been football training.. I think I was wearing my club tracksuit and Nike runners. So not much help."

"Why don't you wear the jeans, the black shoes and a button up shirt, with a casual bomber jacket. Maybe you should forget the leather belts and wristbands on the first date, she might get the wrong idea and think you're a bondage slave or something."

"Ha, ha, very funny Yugi! I will remember that next time you pester me to let you borrow my leather posing pouch," he replied sarcastically. In the end he went with Yugi's suggestion on what to wear.

Sugoroku offered to drive him, saying that he had business to discuss with Ishizu. Yugi had been asking him about the forthcoming exhibit and he wanted to discuss if it would be okay to bring Yugi along to help out with setting up.

They pulled up outside Mana's house at six fifty five. Atem had never felt this nervous about a date before and he could feel the butterflies dancing in his tummy. He really wanted her to like him.

Adjusting his pose to look as confident as possible, he pressed the door bell. "Are you nervous Yami? You seem awfully tense. Relax, otherwise you will frighten her off."

"Not helping Grandpa," he growled.

It was Ishizu who answered, while Mana fidgeted behind her. "Good evening, I am Mana's sister in law, Ishizu. You must be Atem. Your grandfather has told me so much about you. It is nice to meet you at last. Please, come in." Ishizu had decided that it was best to give the impression of a normal, relaxed family so that he would not be suspicious about their origins.

Ishizu's revelation that she knew _all_ about him didn't help with his nerves very much. In fact it was positively unsettling. This woman knew so much about him and it worried him she would have a pre-conceived impression of him, whereas he knew nothing about her other than she was an expert on Ancient Egypt... or something along those lines. Unlike Yugi, he no longer got excited when their grandfather told him all about his archaeology trips as it did not interest him as much. He found it rather sad that tombs built to house the souls of Kings had been violated, while their monuments lay in ruins and were now little more than tourist attractions. He couldn't explain why he felt this way, he just did.

She showed him into the sitting room, where Mahado was standing with his hands behind his back and looking rather awkward. It was the first time his little sister had brought home a would be suitor and he was trying hard not to be the over protective big brother.

Observing Japanese custom Mahado bowed lowly. "I understand you wish to court Mana?" His tone was fairly neutral with a hint protectiveness towards Mana, which Atem could sort of understand.

Atem swallowed nervously. "Good evening Mahado, It is nice to meet you properly. And yes, I would be very grateful if you would give me the honour of courting Mana." Was that the right thing to say? This tall man with long straight hair and striking features seemed to be eyeing him strangely.

Ishizu ushered Sugoroku into the kitchen. "It is best we do not interfere. Mahado is very protective of Mana. It has been hard on him since their parents passed away and he tries too hard to replace them sometimes."

"I can understand his concern, but I can assure you that Atem has been brought up to show respect and have good manners. Mana will be safe in his arms...I mean hands.. er. Company."

"I think I understand," Ishizu laughed politely at his slip up. "We do not doubt his integrity Sugoroku, but Mahado is old fashioned and still wishes to give his approval for Atem to court her. However, between you and me," she chuckled. "Mahado sees it as a great honour that Atem would show an interest in Mana. It is not every day that the son of a great Pharaoh asks to escort your sister on a date."

Sugoroku chuckled and nodded his head. "I just see my grandsons as a pair of boisterous teenagers."

Atem stood before Mahado, back ramrod straight, hands loosely clasped in front of him, awaiting his response. His confidence was a mask; inside he was trembling.

"Hmm.." Mahado nodded slightly. _This young man certainly has the aura of a prince. He is full of self belief and holds himself well._

Noticing the way the two men were observing each other, Mana rolled her eyes and bounced to Atem's side, looping her arm through his. "When you two are done? We should get going, otherwise we will miss our film."

"Yes, you should." Mahado's gaze softened and he smiled. "I trust you will return my sister safely?"

"You have my word." Atem bowed politely. To his surprise, Mahado bowed lower, surely as the more senior man he should not have bowed as low as Atem. He concluded that Mahado was not fully aware of Japanese custom.

When they got outside Mana sagged in frustration "Geez, my brother is so annoying and overprotective sometimes. It's not like I can't take care of myself," she pouted.

"It shows he cares about you. You should be flattered," he took her hand. "Come on, we should hurry, the film starts in thirty minutes."

* * *

 **Thought I had better break it there! I kept adding stuff and** chapter **was getting longer and longer.**

 **Please review.**


	11. Chapter 11

Firstly: Apologies, but I will not be posting a chapter next week as I will be on a skiing holiday in the French Alps. I will endeavour to post chapter 12 as soon as I can after I get back, closely followed by chapter 13 to make up for the missing week.

Thank you for reading and for all the nice reviews I have had. I try to respond by PM but cannot do so for guest reviews. So, thank you, I am happy that you are all enjoying the story so far. Hopefully, it will get really intense later on.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh. Neither do I have any rights to the book/film War Horse, which is mentioned in this chapter

* * *

Broken Dreams

Chapter 11. Finding Confidence.

Mahado joined Ishizu and Sugoroku in the Kitchen. They both smiled at the expression on his face.

"Stop worrying," Ishizu put a comforting hand on his arm. "Atem will bring her home safely. He is a young man of good breeding, you can trust him to look after her."

"It's not that," he sighed. "it's just... She's my baby sister. I struggle to accept she has started going out on dates with amorous teenage boys."

"I beg your pardon? I can assure you that my grandson is not..." Sugoroku started but then stopped. Mahado was probably right about the amorous.

"I apologise. I did not mean it as an insult towards Atem. But well, it wasn't too long ago I was going on seventeen and.." Mahado's face went pink when Ishizu interjected his sentence with "Horny?"

"No! Well yes," his embarrassment obvious. "That is exactly what I meant."

"Well, my grandson may be a teenage boy but I can assure you he has his hormones under control." They all started laughing.

"I guess I will just have to trust them," Mahado concluded.

"How about I make us all a nice mug of hot chocolate?" Ishizu suggested.

"Yes please. And maybe with a drop of that excellent French brandy, that I know Mahado keeps," Sugoroku grinned cheekily.

"Of course." Mahado went to fetch the bottle.

Sugoroku picked up the duffel bag he had brought and fished out the gold box containing the Millennium Puzzle. "I wondered if you might like take care of this, or put this on display at the museum?"

"Oh! Is it completed?" Ishizu looked surprised.

"No, it is still in pieces. I have never managed to complete it. But I have a feeling that one of my grandsons will be able to."

"They are destined to complete it," Ishizu reminded him.

"Have you showed it to either of them yet?" Mahado enquired, returning with the bottle of brandy.

"Not yet. To be honest the Puzzle frightens me. It gave me nightmares and burnt my hand last time I tried to complete it. I know that soon, the time will come when I will have to give it to one of them to complete."

Ishizu leaned forward and patted the back of Sugoroku's hand. "I understand your concern. Since arriving in Japan I have been trying to fathom how events might unfold. I am hoping that now I have met Atem, my Tauk may give me some guidance as to his future." She got up to make three mugs of hot chocolate, and as she did a sharp stabbing sensation caused her to collapse to her knees. The eye on the box containing the Puzzle seemed to be glowing, as was the eye on her Tauk.

"Ishizu!" Both men rushed to help her as vivid images swept before her vision.

 _Three years from now. An image of brothers fighting! Atem in a state of distress, running away from something! What was he running from? She couldn't_ _see_. The vision ended as suddenly as it began.

"Thank you, I'm okay," she said as they helped her to her feet.

"What did you see Ishizu?" Sugoroku worried.

"Not much, it was confusing. Give me a moment to make some sense of it." She looked at Sugoroku.

"You sit down for a moment Ishizu? I will make the drinks," Mahado ordered, steering her back to her chair. After a few moments she began to tell them what she had seen in her vision.

"I saw roughly three years into the future. It showed me Atem and Yugi... they were fighting over a disagreement of some sort. And then Atem was running away from something – he seemed to be afraid. That is all I saw."

"Oh!" Sugoroku's voice was flat and slightly confused. "I wonder what they were fighting over?"

"I don't know." Ishizu felt bad that she was unable to give more information. "But we have plenty of time to figure it out. Maybe when I meet Yugi, the Tauk will show me more."

"Hey! Brothers fight all the time! It might not be as bad as it looked." Mahado was trying to be optimistic.

"If it was not important, the Tauk would not have showed me the image," Ishizu said tersely.

"Well, whatever it is, it definitely has something to do with what we will be facing. I for one do not intend to dwell on it. My grandsons are very close and would never show any animosity to one another. Whatever they had fallen out over in your vision, they _will_ overcome," Sugoroku said fiercely.

All three were quiet as they drank their chocolate. They were very glad of the added splash of brandy.

Sugoroku was the first to break the silence. "I was going to ask you if Yugi might help with the exhibition... only he is showing a keen interest in Ancient Egypt."

Mahado nodded. "It would be a good opportunity for you to get to know him Ishizu."

"Yes of course, it appears that fate is guiding the princes too us, so that we may guide them toward their destiny." Ishizu picked up the puzzle box. "I will keep this safe. When the time is right, one of them will complete it. Tell Yugi he is welcome to help me. I am still waiting for some of the larger items to arrive. There will be lots of unpacking and labelling to do; the museum relies heavily on volunteers. I look forward to meeting him."

"You will like Yugi, he can be shy and sometimes lacks confidence at first but is a fast learner, and is always polite and well mannered," Sugoroku smiled proudly.

Ishizu smiled back. She didn't want to say anything but from what she could glean from her vision, Atem appeared to be the aggressor. And as much as Mahado wanted to keep Mana out of the danger they might all be facing, Ishizu knew that would not be possible. Fate had mapped out all of their futures.

::::::::::::

Atem stood in the queue to buy popcorn with Mana. They may have only just met but they got on well and chatted like they had know each other forever. She had even given him her own nickname and was calling him Prince. He would have to ask her about that later.

"Ooh Prince, they have Italian ice cream!" She cooed excitedly, making Atem smile.

"Would you like some?" He offered.

"Yes please," she beamed. "Can I have one scoop of chocolate and one scoop of strawberry?"

"Of course."

He bought her the ice cream and they made their way to their seats to wait for the film to start. Atem had let Mana choose the film and she had chosen War Horse. Atem didn't mind as there was not really anything else showing that interested him anyway.

Atem sat in his seat holding his bag of pop corn, watching Mana appreciatively as she sat down to eat her ice cream as quickly as she could before it melted.

"Mmm.. this is delicious... Would you like some?"

"No, it's okay. I can see you are enjoying it way too much to really want to share," he winked. In truth he was enjoying watching her more than he wanted a taste of the ice cream.

During the film, Atem tried to maintain his composure. It was all about a young man and his horse going to fight in the trenches during the first world war. Atem liked horses and found parts of the film sad. Especially when the hero horse, Joey, got tangled up in the wire between the German and British trenches. When he heard Mana blow her nose and saw her dab at her eyes with her sleeve, he reached across and took her hand, gently squeezing it – for his own comfort as much as hers!

After the film had finished, they went to catch the bus home. "I'm pleased it had a happy ending," Mana sniffed.

"Yeah.." was all he could say. He knew his voice would crack and give away how emotional he was feeling. He didn't want to appear unmanly on their first date!

Because they both had school the next day, he had promised to get her home by ten thirty. The bus would get them close to Mana's house and would take about fifteen minutes. Walking would take a lot longer and it had also started drizzling with horrible fine rain, that always seemed to soak right through your clothing.

They found two seats and sat down. "I meant to ask.. You keep calling me Prince. I just wondered why? Not that I mind," he hastily added.

"I just like calling you that. Your hair is like a crown; you would make a good prince. And I think it's a cute name. But I can stop calling you that if you don't like it?"

"No! Don't stop! I don't mind it at all. But maybe just keep it between the two of us for now. Everyone gets confused enough as it is with my friends calling me Yami."

"Why do they call you Yami? It means dark doesn't it?"

"Yeah, it goes back a long way to when me and Yugi were little and used to play hide and seek at night. I said I liked the dark."

"And do you?"

"I'm certainly not afraid of the dark now. But I was back then and I just said it to be brave!" He chuckled and they both started laughing.

"Anyway, enough about me. What about you? What made you come all the way to Japan with your brother and his wife?" He suddenly felt awful when a look of sadness crossed her features. "Sorry! I didn't mean to upset you. You don't have to tell me..."

"No it's okay. Our parents died five years ago. Mahado is my legal guardian until I am eighteen. I was happy to come to Japan though, it's an interesting place. I am even happier now that I have met you. I don't like my new school much though."

"What school are you going to?" He hoped it wasn't Rintama as it had a bad reputation.

"Lakeside School for Girls. Mahado says it's the best school in the area. But most of the girls are bitchy and not very nice to me."

"Your family must be pretty wealthy if they can send you there!" From what Otogi had said, the girls there acted pretty grown up for their age, and had a bit of a reputation – which Otogi seemed to like! Atem could quite understand that they were bitchy. He turned to face her and squeezed her hand gently. "Don't let them bother you. I wish you had come to Domino, most people are nice there and I would look after you."

"Oh don't worry, I think they don't like me because I am new and and from Egypt. I can always play a few magic tricks on them if it gets too bad," she giggled.

"You said Mahado was a magician. What sort of tricks does he do? I saw a magician that did card tricks at a party once." He remembered Anzu's parents had hired a magician for her eighth birthday party.

"He can do card tricks but he doesn't really do parties. When he does perform, he does these awesome illusions; he calls himself Magus of Illusion." She didn't let on that he could do real magic and that they both came from a long line of master magicians – she thought it might scare him off! And it was not something they liked to broadcast as people would think them freaks!

"What tricks can you do?" He asked enthusiastically.

"Me?! Oh, I'm hopeless. I usually mess up big time."

"You will have to show me some tricks? I promise not to laugh if you mess up."

"You had better not Prince." She nudged him and started giggling.

The bus stopped just around the corner from her house and they got off and walked the last few hundred yards to her house. She enjoyed his company – she hoped he had enjoyed her company too. She was also relieved to have survived the evening without any mishaps.

Atem noticed that his grandfather's car was still on the driveway. Was he waiting for them to come back so he could drive Atem home? He wasn't sure how he felt about Grandpa being so over protective, but at least it would save him having to get the bus.

They walked up to the porch and she went to put her key in the lock but he stopped her by taking her hand. "I really enjoyed this evening. I wondered if we could see each other again?" A tinge of pink dusted his cheeks as he spoke.

Mana found it really cute how he gave everyone the impression that he was full of confidence, but was now standing before her blushing and looking nervous. "Yes of course! I would love to see you again Prince! This evening was fun." Now it was her turn to blush.

After a slight moment of hesitation, they both moved suddenly to close the gap between them. Unfortunately Mana moved a little too quickly, causing their noses to bump. "Ow!" Mana rubbed her nose, while Atem rubbed his as well. "Sorry!" They both said at the same time.

"No, It was my fault," Mana added.

"No, it was... never mind, shall we try again?" He placed his hands on her waist and she placed hers on his shoulders.

Just as their lips were about to meet, the door opened causing them both to jump apart. It was Sugoroku.

"Ah, we thought we heard a noise and guessed it would be you two. Did you both have a good evening?" He chuckled knowingly. "I'm sorry if I interrupted anything."

"No, it's okay Grandpa," Atem spoke through gritted teeth. He was a little irritated with his grandfather.

"You both have school tomorrow so we should be getting home Yami. It was nice catching up with you Ishizu, Mahado. And nice to meet you too Mana..."

"Nice to meet you Mr Mutou," Mana said politely. She might be scatterbrained sometimes, but she still had good manners.

"You should get ready for bed now Mana, otherwise you will not get up for school in the morning." Mahado was being far too over protective in Mana's opinion. She was sixteen and a half not six! She felt embarrassed.

"Mahado!" Mana rolled her eyes.

Atem smiled and waved to Mana as she was ushered inside. "See you Friday, after school?" He called after her.

"Yes, Friday would be great." She disappeared inside.

"I will ring you tomorrow with arrangements," he finished. However, as soon as he got into his grandfather's car he sent her a message with a smiley face. **Can't wait until Friday.**

 **Night Prince :-)** She messaged back.

"Mana seems a very nice young lady," Sugoroku observed.

"Yeah, I really like her Grandpa," Atem said sincerely.

It was getting on for eleven at night when they got home, so Atem went straight up to bed. He presumed Yugi was already asleep but as he tiptoed past Yugi's room his door suddenly opened and the bleary eyed boy peered out. He had obviously been keeping himself awake until his brother got home.

"How did it go?" Yugi enquired.

"Yeah, really good. I'm seeing her Friday after school," Atem responded.

"But I thought we were all going to Burger world?!"

"I'm going to invite her to come to come with us."

"Wouldn't you prefer a romantic candle lit meal in a posh restaurant?" Yugi said with a silly grin on his face.

"I will take her somewhere nice soon, but we always hang out with the gang on Friday and I thought Mana would like to get to know everyone and feel like part of our group."

"I guess. Well, goodnight Yami."

"Night Yugi." Atem went to his room and got ready for bed as quickly as he could. It took him a while to get to sleep though because he couldn't stop thinking about Mana. It was the first time he had ever felt like this about a girl and it was exciting and scary at the same time.

Eventually he did drift off though, and all too soon it was morning. The alarm intruded rudely into his blissful dream about Mana, indicting it was already time to get up for school.

Blushing at the image of them both naked together, he sat up and willed his erection to go down.

Even though he felt tired, his libido was anything but! _Cold shower time,_ he decided. Hopefully that would do the trick.

Breakfast was a rush and he had little time to bolt down some cereal before it was time to go.

"Anzu is here. Are you two ready to go yet?" Sugoroku came back upstairs into the kitchen with the post in his hands and with Anzu trailing behind. Atem was still finishing his breakfast.

"Good morning," she said cheerily." How was your date with Mana last night Yami."

"Mmmm," he nodded enthusiastically with his mouth full of cereal.

"He's taking her out for a romantic meal at Burger World on Friday," Yugi teased.

Yami swallowed his last mouthful of cereal. "I plan to invite her to come on Friday if that's okay with everyone?"

"That's a lovely idea Yami. It will be great for her to be part of our gang." Anzu was also delighted that she would have a female friend to confide in at long last. Otogi sometimes brought girls along, but she never really got to know any of them as they were gone the following week.

"Oh! Yugi, there is a letter for you here. It looks official!" Sugoroku handed the brown envelope to Yugi.

They watched on as Yugi excitedly opened it. He was pretty sure he knew what it was. "It's the certificate to confirm my status as Regional Champion. Oh! And there's a letter! It's an invite to another tournament! It's to duel for the national title," he gulped.

"Wow! Yugi that's awesome. It must mean that they think you're really good." Anzu was happy for her boyfriend.

"Yeah, but Kaiba's the reigning champion. I will have no chance of winning," Yugi worried.

"Don't worry about Kaiba Yugi. Win or lose we will all be there cheering you on," Atem reassured.

"When is it Yugi?" Sugoroku wanted to know.

"It's during the spring break. It's being held at the new Kaiba Land Dome! It says here that Kaiba Corp. are the main sponsor and plan to introduce the latest technology. I wonder what that is?!"

"What about those box things at the last tournament?" Anzu asked.

"Maybe he has invented something even better!" Sugoroku said, scratching at his beard.

"When do you have to reply Yugi?" His mother asked. He handed her the letter.

"I have to RSVP by e-mail within seven days. I'm not sure if I will go. It clashes with Ishizu's grand opening of her Egyptian Exhibit and I don't want to miss that!"

"The exhibition will be running for months Yugi! Missing two days won't matter." Atem could see his brother was just trying to find an excuse to back out. Now that he held a title, Yugi knew people would be watching him with great interest; and Yugi always got nervous when he knew people were watching him. It had not mattered at the last tournament because no one knew who he was, so he won his way through the rounds without being noticed. By the time he had reached the final, he was so engrossed in the competition that he had not even thought about the audience.

"I'm sure we will all support you in whatever decision you make Yugi," his mother told him lovingly. "Now! You had better all hurry, or you will miss the bus to school." She had no doubt that he had the ability to do well in the tournament, she just wished her smaller son would have the same level of self belief as his larger twin.

The three teens grabbed their bags and dashed outside to the bus stop. Yugi was not planning to tell anyone at school about the invite until he had made his decision, and both Yami and Anzu appreciated that.

"We won't say anything Yugi. Jonouchi's a blabbermouth and it will be all over the school before you know it if we tell him," Anzu complained.

"Yeah, he has trouble keeping his mouth shut about most things," Atem agreed.

None of them had noticed Jonouchi sneaking up behind them, with a plan to surprise them all by making them jump. "Keep quiet about what? And whadda ya mean I'm a blabbermouth?!" All three cringed.

"It was nothing Jonouchi," Yugi's face contorted into something resembling uncomfortable embarrassment. "We were just..."

"I was trying to keep my new girlfriend a secret for a few days... just in case she dumped me or something..." Yami lied very unconvincingly.

"Don't believe ya... spill?" Jonouchi demanded, eyeing his friends suspiciously. All three looked like they had been caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

Yugi let out a sigh. "I got invited to the new National Duel Monster Finals, but I didn't want to tell anyone because I probably won't go."

"What?! Not going! Why the hell not?"

"Because..., because I'm not sure I'm good enough to beat the Kaiba who is the current Japanese champion." It was a lame excuse in Jonouchi's opinion.

"What the fuck you talkin about Yuge?! Not good enough! How'd ya know if you don't at least try. I will be there cheering you on all the way buddy so you mustn't be afraid."

"I'm not afraid," Yugi scowled. "Just not sure I can be bothered. I mean, I wanted to be involved with the Egypt display at the museum when it opens."

"Do both man!" Jonouchi decided for him. Yugi pouted and looked down at his feet. He hadn't really got an answer to that! He knew that deep down he was just being silly and negative, but he could not help it.

"We better get to class or we will be late," he mumbled instead, trying to change the subject.

Lunch time arrived and Yugi had disappeared! Anzu fretted as they sat down to eat their bentos. "Yugi's an awfully long time in the toilet! Maybe someone should check he's okay?"

"I'll go," Atem offered before anyone else could. He had a pretty good idea what was troubling his brother.

He found him up on the roof, looking our over the city. "Hey!" He approached his brother. "You know you're not really supposed to be up here. What's up?" He knew Yugi only ever came up here when something was wrong or he was hiding from bullies. And since he was no longer being bullied it meant he was worried.

Yugi just shrugged. "Hi Yami. Nothings wrong. I'm just thinking," he said flatly.

Atem stood beside his brother. "You know you can always talk to me if something is bothering you."

"I said nothing is wrong," Yugi sounded irritated. There was a short pause. "Everyone thinks I must duel in the nationals and they think I will get to the final and then beat Kaiba. I'm not even sure I'm good enough! I don't want to disappoint anyone. I'm better off just not going."

"Yugi! That's a stupid excuse and you know it! No one will be disappointed in you if you lose. And whatever made you think you weren't good enough?"

"I dunno. I'm weak and I'm rubbish at most things. You're the one who should be entering, not me."

"Yeah, well I didn't get invited. And you're not rubbish, you can beat me at Duel Monsters and you can run faster than me too. You could be in the track team if you put more effort into PE. I know you hold back."

"I can only run fast because I had to run away from bullies," Yugi snorted, making Atem roll his eyes.

"If you ran for the school it would earn you respect."

"Not if I came last."

"Look!" Atem grabbed Yugi by the shoulders and made him face him. "Stop doubting yourself," he ordered. "I thought you had got over your low self esteem! You are _not_ weak. Do you want to know something Yugi? I am only confident because of you. You always tell me I'm great and you look up to me. So despite my fears I push myself because I don't want to disappoint you. I'm terrified that I won't make it as a footballer, but I won't give in. Instead I try even harder and I want you to do the same. I know you are nervous about this tournament and sometimes it's easier to just take the easy option, but unless we try to push ourselves we will never know what we're capable of. So will you duel for me?"

Yugi forced a smile. "I guess. I'm not scared to duel, It's silly... I'm scared of people watching me and I'm scared of letting my friends down."

"You won't let anyone down but yourself if you don't participate. Come on, let's go get lunch I'm starving."

"Yeah, me too." Yugi clenched his fists as he walked back down the stairwell. Yami was right, he had to give it his best shot. So what if people were watching him. Nothing ventured nothing gained.

School ended for the day. Anzu had to go to work at Burger World, Atem and Otogi had training and Honda had to babysit for his sister. Yugi was helping out in the store after school and left to walk to the game store with Jonouchi who had decided to keep his friend company rather than go home to his horrible apartment and drunken father.

Just as they started walking a sleek black limo pulled up along side them. "Huh!" Jonouchi stopped and gaped.

The rear window rolled down to reveal Seto Kaiba. "Get in Yugi." It was a firm order.

"What? Me?!" Yugi said shakily.

"Of course you," Kaiba rolled his eyes. "I don't see any other Yugi, do you?"

"N.. no, I guess not." Yugi just stood there.

"Don't go Yugi, it's gotta be a trap. Listen up rich boy? I ain't letting you kidnap my friend."

"I'm not kidnapping him you idiot, I want to talk to him. Now get in Yugi? You are quite safe."

"It's okay Jonouchi, I trust Kaiba. He's a business man not a kidnapper," Yugi reassured his friend.

"Well okay, but I'm coming too."

Yugi opened the door and they got in. The back of the car was massive. "Wow! This is awesome!" Jonouchi's eyes popped out of his head at the sight of the leather upholstery and rich mahogany trimming.

"Some idiots are so easily impressed," Seto growled in annoyance as Jonouchi started running his hands all over the leather seat as he sat down. "Just sit still and please don't leave grubby paw prints."

Jonuchi snarled back at him and Yugi put his hand out to stop his friend from retaliating. "Ignore him Jonouchi. What did you want to talk to me about Kaiba?"

"I trust you received one of these?" He held up the invite to the tournament.

"Er... yes. It arrived this morning."

"Good. I expect you to be there Yugi. From what I saw in the regional finals, you are the only person in Japan worth duelling. I couldn't wait until the tournament in July to beat you, which is why I organized this tournament. Do I make myself clear?"

"I.. I think so.. I.. I still haven't made my mind up if I want to accept yet," he replied timidly. He almost curled up and cringed when Seto Kaiba's face turned stony.

"What?!" The CEO was not amused. "Are you planning on chickening out just because you are afraid of facing me in the final?"

"N.. no of course not!" Yugi squeaked. He then remembered his brother's words. Taking a deep breath he pulled himself up to sit straight and tried to look confident. "I _will_ be there Kaiba. As a Mutou, I do not back down from a challenge."

"Good on you Yugi... that a man!" Jonouchi grinned. "My little buddy will beat you Kaiba."

"Jonouchi!" Yugi frowned.

Kaiba just smirked. "He can certainly try."

The limo pulled up outside the game store. The chauffeur got out and opened the door for them to get out. "Bye Kaiba. Thank you for the lift home," he said politely.

"Hey! Kaiba. Any chance I can enter?" Jonouchi grinned.

"Not a hope in hell. See you at the tournament Yugi." The door closed and the limo sped off.

"Well, looks like I have no choice about entering now," Yugi said cautiously.

"You will be okay Yugi. I just wish I could blag me an entry... There must be a way," Jonouchi stated deviously.

"Why not just enter. I am sure there must be some qualification rounds for people who haven't qualified automatically. You know, like wild card entries or something."

"Yeah, c'mon Yuge, let's fire up your laptop and get right on it..." He charged into the game store full of enthusiasm.

* * *

 **Duel Monsters will not be the main focus in this story. It is just a side feature to build up a bit of rivalry and animosity between Yugi and Kaiba. Also, some of the cards and monsters will be involved in the plot.**

 **Please review.**


	12. Chapter 12

I had a fantastic skiing holiday and made it home safely. Sorry for not posting this chapter sooner, but I did try - honest! When I went to open my documents to edit and upload, my laptop decided to crash and lose all my files! Thankfully, I eventually managed to recover them, but lost a whole day. I then had to go and visit my husbands family this week, to attend a funeral, so had no time. But things are back to normal now, so hopefully, updates will be regular again.

Note: The reference to Pharaoh Atem belonging to the 18th dynasty, which was 3000 years ago and the dynasty Tutankhamen belonged to, is taken from canon and from an interview where Kazuki Takahashi explained that Atem is based on King Tut and his family. When 4Kids made him 5000 years old they got it hopelessly wrong.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh. There is also a mention of Harry Potter: I do not own that either.

* * *

Broken Dreams

Chapter 12. Grudge Match.

The next five weeks were very busy for Yugi. The end of his first year of high school was fast approaching and he was also trying to prepare himself for the tournament, while at the same time, help Ishizu at the museum.

Luckily for him, his grandfather had allowed him some time off from helping in the shop so that he could spend a couple of evenings each week, assisting Ishizu and her team with carefully unpacking and labelling the artefacts, ready for display.

Even though many of the items were copies of the originals, they were still very valuable and it was important that nothing got damaged.

Ishizu took to Yugi immediately: She liked his enthusiasm for the history of Egypt and his willingness to listen to what she told him.

Each time he visited she taught him a little about Egypt's history - But she was careful about how much she should disclose without Sugoroku's consent. She may not always agree with the old man, but she respected his decisions. "These items are from the tomb of Amenhotep III and his wife Tiye. Some of these, are in fact, original items and must not be removed from their display cases. That is why they took so long to be shipped over."

Yugi nodded. "I have been studying stuff online. Amenhotep was Tutankhamen's grandfather."

"That's right Yugi." _If only you knew that he belongs to the same dynasty as your father!_

"You have really inspired me Ishizu, I'm kind of thinking that I might study Egyptian history at university. I didn't really know what I wanted to do before, but now I do. Trouble is, I'm not doing that great at school, I need to do better."

"You are a bright young man Yugi. I am sure that now you have some idea of what you wish to do, you will be able to focus more at school. Don't tell anyone as it is not yet official, but I have applied to the university for funding to start a new degree course in Ancient Egyptian Studies. I am confident the course will be approved." She did not tell him she had been guided by her Tauk, or that she knew for definite, Yugi _would_ be on that course.

"Ishizu? That necklace you're wearing. Is that from ancient Egypt?"

"Ah, you mean my Millennium Tauk. It is a family heirloom. It is more than three thousand years old and has been handed down through generations of my family."

"Wow! So your family goes back to the time of the Pharaohs?"

"Yes, my ancestors were chosen to guard the tombs from those who would defile them. But alas, it was all in vain. The tombs have all been desecrated, some as a result of conflict within Egypt itself, while the remainder have been looted by treasure hunters seeking wealth. A handful of Tomb keepers offered little resistance to invading armies and those looking for riches. And many of the ancient magic and spells – which people refer to these days as curses, no longer hold much power over non believers. All we could do was hide and protect some of the more valuable items, many of which are now on display in this exhibition."

"What about the Pharaoh my grandfather helped to find? The one that my brother is named after: Atem. Have you got any items from his tomb here?"

"Well, I'm afraid the items from his tomb are being kept safely in Egypt. His reign was very short and no one knew about him until recently. But his tomb has now been opened up to the public. I would urge you to go and visit it one day," she smiled hesitantly. "There is something from his tomb that might interest you." Should she show him the Puzzle? She felt the Tauk begin to heat up uncomfortably against her neck. No, not without Sugoroku's consent. "But alas, it is far too valuable to be allowed on display here." _Damn,_ she thought to herself, _he is not quite ready_.

"Oh! O.. o..kay." He was a little confused by her behaviour but dismissed it and decided to ask about the other thing on his mind.

"Are Mahado and Mana _real_ magicians? Only Mana got a bit nervous when Yami asked her to teach him some magic tricks and she set fire to a pack of playing cards."

Ishizu raised her eyebrows. "Oh dear! That sounds like something Mana would do. Like myself Mana and Mahado descend from those chosen to protect the Pharaoh, both in life, and at rest in his tomb. The Ancient Egyptians believed in such magic and their legacy has been passed down through the generations. They possess some... _unique_ abilities, which in due course they might teach you and your brother. Your grandfather has not yet told you, but you and Atem also have connections with ancient times and may be able to access the same unique abilities to perform magic."

"Real magic! Me and Yami might be able to do real magic?! Does it have something to do with our father being from Egypt...? Did you know him?" Yugi's heart started beating faster and his eyes were wide. He knew virtually nothing about his father. His mother didn't even have any photographs of him. Was he in some way connected to these tomb keepers?

"Well," Ishizu coughed nervously. It wasn't her place to discuss their father with them. "I knew of him, but I never had the good fortune to meet him personally. He was a great man by all accounts. It is not really my place to discuss your father. Maybe you should talk to your mother or grandfather about him," she advised. Yugi was disappointed. Why was his father such a big secret? Had he been a secret agent who protected the tombs or something, and had been involved in some secretive mission that resulted in his death! Was it _that_ bad that they didn't want his two sons knowing about him?!

"Argh, I think my head might explode, I have learnt so much today!" He laughed nervously to hide the emotions he was feeling about discussing his father. "I think I will take a rain check on the magic for the time being. It's a lot to take in. No wonder Grandpa has kept it secret. He was probably worried we would be sent to Hogwarts or something?" He tried to jest.

"No," Ishizu laughed. "I think you have been watching too much Harry Potter!"

Yugi found it difficult to sleep that night. Thoughts about his father and of the Pharaohs who ruled that once great country plagued his mind.

::::::::::::

Yugi had been right, luckily for Jonouchi there were preliminary rounds. Two places had been made available, to give lower ranked duelists the chance to qualify for the main event.

Over the next few weeks, Yugi and Jonouchi practised hard. Jonouchi was determined he would win through. His own personal goal was to get to duel Yugi in the main competition.

Whenever he had the time, Atem would help them as well, while Mana and Anzu cheered them on and helped keep score. Even though Jonouchi tried his hardest during their practice games, he was never able to beat Yugi or Atem because they were just too good. However, Jonouchi never got disheartened and was proud of his two friends natural ability to win at games.

It was Anzu who first noticed that the Dark Magician Girl had similar features to Mana.

"What?!" Mana was embarrassed. How could Anzu have been so observant as to recognise Mana's own personal Ka? Sometimes she wished that Pegasus had not designed so many of the Duel Monsters cards based on real spirits. Ordinary people were not supposed to know or be aware that such things existed.

"Yeah, now you mention it!" Jonouchi grabbed the card and studied it. He then started sniggering.

Mana saw that all three boys were looking at her admiringly and blushed.

"B.. b.. br..." Jonouchi couldn't stop laughing.

Feeling protective toward his girlfriend. "What's so funny?" Atem snapped angrily.

"I think he's trying to say breasts." Yugi put his hand over his mouth as he also started sniggering.

"Yeah, only Mana doesn't show that much booby," Jonouchi managed to say as his laughter died down.

Atem was scowling at his brother and friend, Mana's face was red with embarrassment and Anzu's was red with annoyance at her naughty boyfriend and his perverted friend. "Jonouchi! Don't be so disgusting. Poor Mana! How could you say something so insensitive? And you should know better too Yugi! I'm ashamed of you. You're both being immature."

"I should punch the pair of you for insulting my girlfriend." Atem was annoyed, but still couldn't help looking at the exposed cleavage on the card.

"Oh! I don't mind." Mana stopped feeling embarrassed and started giggling. "She does have an awesome body, I should feel flattered that you think I look that good!"

"Hey! And Dark Magician looks like your brother!" Atem suddenly realised.

Mana decided that some sort of explanation was in order. "Perhaps I should explain: Pegasus Crawford met Ishizu and my brother while he was in Egypt. He is an excellent artist and is also very keen on Ancient Egypt. He stayed with us while he was working on illustrations for Ishizu's displays at the Cairo Museum. He is also the creator of Duel Monsters. He knew of our interest in magic and designed those cards based on us as a sort of compliment."

"Wow! I never knew!" Atem was amazed. "And to think, both Yugi and I chose them for our decks."

"What a coincidence!" Jonouchi exclaimed.

"Yeah, I can't believe they are our favourite monsters and they are based on people we are friends with." Yugi held up the two cards. It was weird but he was almost certain he could feel souls within the cards! "We will treasure them even more now. I _will_ beat Kaiba, and these two cards will fight by my side. I cannot lose knowing you and Mahado are fighting with me Mana."

"It will be fun," Mana giggled.

Jonouchi placed his Flame Swordsman and Red Eyes Black Dragon down. "These are _my_ favourite cards. Do you think they are based on anyone?"

"I don't know who the dragon could be but you do look a bit like your swordsman Jonouchi!" Anzu suggested.

"Right down to the dress," Atem smirked. His remark earned him a playful punch.

"It ain't a girly dress moron, it's a battle dress. And anyway, I've never met Pegasus. I just like warriors. Hopefully they will help me win."

"Grandpa has been teaching me to trust in myself and in the heart of the cards," Yugi told him. "If you do the same Jonouchi, then I'm sure you will do well in the tournament."

"You will do well Jonouchi," Atem assured him. "But you won't beat Yugi," he winked.

"Yami! That's mean. He might not be able to beat Yugi, but you shouldn't rub it in!" Anzu berated.

"Nah, it's okay. I ain't expecting to beat my little buddy, but I'm sure gonna give him a fight." With a grin Jonouchi jumped on his much smaller friend, pinned him in a head lock and started messing up his hair. Poor Yugi might be able to win at cards, but he was had no chance in a sparring match.

Jonouchi did not know his own strength, so Atem jumped in and wrestled Jonouchi off his twin, who was gasping for air and struggling to free himself.

::::::::::::

The last few days before the exhibit opened were hectic. Luckily, school had now finished for the spring holidays and Yugi was keen to help out as much as he could. Mana and Atem had also been lending a hand by distributing advertising leaflets.

With the displays all in place, everything was now ready. Ishizu proudly guided Sugoroku, Mahado, Yugi and Anzu, as well as Atem and Mana through the halls, giving them an overview of the guided tour she would be giving to the sponsors and museum owners first thing in the morning, before it was officially opened up to the paying public.

"You have done a very good job Ishizu," Sugoroku complimented. "And of course you too Yugi," remembering his grandson had also helped quite a lot.

"Yeah, proud of you Yugi," Atem smiled at his brother, who was beaming with pride as he showed them a large display case containing an excellent reproduction of Tutankhamen's mummy, surrounded by some genuine items of fine jewels and a ceremonial dagger that had been owned by the young Pharaoh. It also contained a re-creation of the famous burial mask, and Ishizu had allowed Yugi to arrange the items all by himself.

"I'm also proud of you Yugi." Anzu was smiling wider than Yugi as she looped her arm round his and snuggled up to him.

"Thanks," he blushed, secretly enjoying the praise.

"Coffee anyone?" Everyone confirmed that they would like some refreshments, so Ishizu took them all to the coffee shop. "Well, there is nothing more we can do now. I just hope it is a success." With all the planning and hard work done, she now had time to feel nervous.

"How can it not be a success?!" Mahado put his arm around her. "You're not worried that no one will turn up are you?" He teased. "After all the interest this has received, the place will be packed."

Just as they sat down, the sound of feet could be heard clattering on the hard stone floor. "I wonder who...?" Everyone startled as Seto Kaiba, with two of his body guards and another man in a cheap linen suit entered the room.

"Kaiba!" Yugi and Atem both recognised him immediately.

"What are you doing here Yugi?" Seto sneered to hide his own surprise.

Ishizu stood up to greet him. "Mr. Kaiba! What an honour to meet you. May I thank you on behalf of the museum for making this exhibition possible. Yugi has been helping me set up the exhibits, and since he will be too busy competing in your tournament to attend the opening tomorrow, I thought I would let him and his family have a private tour." She bowed and offered her hand. "What may I do for you." He ignored her bow and offer of a handshake.

"Hmph.. As a sponsor of the museum, and since I will also be busy tomorrow, I thought I might see for myself what _my_ money has been wasted on."

"Mr. Kaiba," Mahado stepped forward. "My wife has put a lot of time and effort into this exhibition. If all you are worried about is seeing a return for your investment, I can assure you that you have no worries. Ishizu is an expert in her field, and this exhibition will be very successful."

"What a nasty man!" Mana whispered in Atem's ear meanwhile. Unfortunately Seto Kaiba heard.

"I don't much care what _you_ think of me. I am a business man, I don't have time to be nice to people."

"Well," Ishizu cleared her throat. "Perhaps I can show you some of the exhibits Mr. Kaiba? I am sure you will change your mind about it being a waste of money."

"That won't be necessary. I can see that my 'investment' as you put it, is in safe hands. Good night." He turned to Yugi. " And I will see you tomorrow Yugi. Don't let me down. I will expect you to reach the final." Yugi nodded sheepishly in response. "Good," Seto Kaiba said with a slight smirk, before turning away and leaving.

"Well that was a brief visit! What an unpleasant young man. I think he needs to learn some manners," Sugoroku said.

"Manners!" Atem huffed. "He needs someone to knock him of the pedestal he puts himself on, doesn't he Yugi?" He winked knowingly at his brother.

"Y.. yeah," Yugi said nervously. It was not easy, but he knew he should not let the arrogant CEO intimidate him. He had to be confident if he wanted to beat him.

"I just know you will win Yugi," Mana giggled. "Don't forget, you have me and Mahado helping you!"

"Yes, thanks Mana. I won't forget. In fact, I know all my friends will be cheering for me."

"Me helping! How can I help?! I don't duel." Mahado looked confused.

"Yugi has the Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl in his deck. I told him how Pegasus based the cards on you and me when he came to stay." Mana explained.

A look of realisation hit Mahado. "Oh! Really? What a coincidence." Deep down, he knew it wasn't _really_ a coincidence that Yugi would have those cards. It was fate. The souls of his and Mana's ancestors, and their own souls were linked to those cards. "In that case Yugi, Mana is right. You will win."

After they finished their coffee, they left the museum and made their way home. Before they parted, Ishizu and Mahado made sure they wished Yugi luck.

"Please can I go with Prince and watch Yugi duel?" Mana pleaded as she got into her brother's car.

"Prince! Does he know you call him that?" Ishizu frowned.

"Yes, of course he does. I like calling him that. He's _my_ Prince." Mana rolled her eyes when they both twisted in their seats to glare at her. "It's okay, I haven't told him anything. I'm not that stupid. Anyway, it's not like I know anything anyway, because you two never tell me anything," she pouted sulkily.

"Mana," Mahado groaned. "It's for your own safety. You still can't control your heka properly or summon your Ka without my help. I don't want to get you involved. And I know you have been showing off to your friends. You know you're not supposed to be using magic."

"I haven't! Well okay, just once maybe, but it was only because Prince asked me to teach him. It's not like it was anything big," she whined, "just a pack of stupid cards."

"Oh... Mana!" Mahado groaned. "What am I going to do with you? I know I'm not our mother and father, but I'm trying my best to look after you, so can you please just.. I don't know... behave."

"Yeah, well you're not Mum and Dad. They're gone," she said tearfully. "And I don't want to be bossed around by you all the time. I'm not a child and I can make my own decisions."

"Mana! I... I'm sorry. I didn't..." He should have thought before speaking about their parents. Now he had upset her.

Ishizu placed her hand on his arm. "It's okay Mahado, Mana knows how much you love her." She turned to Mana. "Are you okay Mana?"

"Yes," she nodded. "Sorry Mahado. I honestly, have not said or done anything I Shouldn't. I am nearly seventeen, so please trust me, okay?"

"Yes, okay Mana," he smiled. "And yes, of course you can go with your friends tomorrow." He smiled at her apologetically.

"Thank you big brother. I love you." She wiped away her tears and smiled.

"And I love you too Mana," he winked. "But you will always be my little sister. So please try to forgive me if I am over protective."

"I'll try," she promised.

::::::::::::

For those hoping to qualify for the two wild card entries, the tournament started early. Jonouchi was there at eight o'clock, ready to begin and his friends were all there to support him. Even Yugi turned up early to watch him. "Yugi! I thought you would be home resting and preparing! You don't have to be here until midday."

"I wanted to cheer you on Jonouchi! Plus I couldn't really sleep anyway," he admitted.

"Where's everyone else?" Yugi was on his own.

"Grandpa had to open the shop, Yami's calling for Mana first. Anzu and Honda should be here soon. Honda said he would pick her up on his motorbike. Ryou might be coming as well."

"Cool. Gives you a chance to scout out the opposition too Yugi," Jonouchi grinned.

"Yeah, but I doubt any of these duelists will be my opposition Jonouchi. Don't forget there are only two places up for grabs in these qualifiers."

Yugi's phone beeped. It was Anzu saying that she and Honda had arrived and wanted to know where to find them. Yugi looked around for a landmark and messaged back. **Meet by Blue Eyes statue. x**

"Anzu and Honda are here," he informed his friend. The two made their way to Yugi's suggested meeting point, and Anzu and Honda appeared a few minutes later.

"Morning Yugi," she said cheerily, giving Yugi a hug and kiss.

"Hey! Where's my good morning kiss?!" Jonouchi complained jokingly.

Honda immediately jumped on him in a bear hug. "I thought you would never ask!" He started sniggering.

"Get off me ya big jerk!" Jonouchi punched him playfully. Their boisterous behaviour was attracting angry looks from people close by. Especially when they bumped into someone, causing them to drop their cards all over the floor.

"Will you two stop causing trouble? People are looking at you..." When they ignored her. "I bet they think you're a couple," she teased. Looking embarrassed, the pair immediately jumped apart. Seeing the funny side of the situation, the four friends started laughing.

"Good luck Jonouchi, but I still won't kiss you," Anzu added.

"He will need a lot of luck," Honda teased.

"I make my own," Jonouchi retorted.

"Where is Yami and Mana? I thought you said they would be here Yugi!" Anzu asked.

"They should be here in about half an hour. Come on Jonouchi, your first duel starts soon. You will be disqualified if you're late." Yugi took Anzu's hand and they and Honda headed towards the viewing area, where TV screens had been set up above each table on which you could watch the duels. Jonouchi went to the area marked 'duelists only'.

Some of the duels were already under way. Jonouchi's first duel was at eight forty five.

The duels were all taking places on traditional duel mats, laid out on tables that were all positioned in rows. Up to twelve duels were taking place at a time and a barrier prevented the audience getting too close and trying to cheat by looking over the shoulders of a duelist and making signals to their friend opposite.

By the end of the morning, Jonouchi had achieved his goal and qualified for the main event.

The main event consisted of fourteen of the worlds top duelists, plus the two qualifiers – one of which was Jonouchi.

Two new duel arenas were unveiled for the finals, allowing the duelists to face each other across a field, where holographic images of their monsters would do battle. The new arenas, which replaced the old battle boxes, allowed for much better and far more exciting viewing for spectators.

The seeding for the main draw was arranged so that Yugi and Kaiba would meet in the final; should they both get through. Jonouchi was a bit disappointed to find that he was not in Yugi's half of the draw and would not get to duel his best friend unless he made it to the final. If he made it past his first two opponents, he would duel Kaiba in the semi final.

Yugi made quick work of his first two opponents, but found his semi final match tough. However, he managed to beat his opponent and made it to the final knowing he would be dueling either Seto Kaiba or his friend Katsuya Jonouchi.

Having completed his matches, this would also be Yugi's one opportunity to see Seto Kaiba's ability as a duelist, and find out what he would be up against in the final. As much as Yugi would have liked Jonouchi to beat Kaiba, he was pretty sure that Kaiba would win.

It turned out to be a rather ill tempered duel. Right from the start, it was obvious that Seto Kaiba had very little respect for Jonouchi's ability, and opened their match with an insult. "Well, I'm sure this won't take long! How on earth a useless, dead beat duelist like you made it this far, is beyond me!" He resented the fact that Jonouchi had won one of his matches on the toss of a coin and the other by sheer fluke!

"Insult me all you like _if_ you beat me Rich Boy!" Jonouchi snarled. "I'm gonne wipe that smug grin off your face by showing you just how good I really am."

"Hmph!" Seto smirked. "The misplaced enthusiasm of a moron never fails to amuse me."

"Yeah, well it's nice to know you are so easily amused."

"Don't argue with him Jonouchi! He's trying to put you off your game," Anzu shouted in support.

"Yes, don't let him put you off," Mana added, causing Seto Kaiba to roll his eyes.

Both Yugi and Atem squeezed their girlfriends hands and whispered to them to not get upset by the pair trading insults.

Jonouchi responded to his friends by grinning and giving them a thumbs up. "It's okay guys. Insulting Rich Boy is fun."

Jonouchi started by playing Panther Warrior in attack mode: A good first card, with 2000 ATK/1600 DEF.

"Is that it?" Kaiba said in an unimpressed voice. "In that case, I play Kaiser Sea Horse (1700 ATK/1450 DEF) in attack, and end my turn."

Jonouchi grinned. "Heh, heh, I thought you were supposed to be good at this game Kaiba. You just made a rookie mistake. I sacrifice Alligator Sword so that my Panther Warrior can attack."

Yugi gasped. It was just the start of the match and he guessed that Kaiba had laid bait to see if Jonouchi would bite. "No! Jonouchi! Don't fall for it!" He could not stop himself from calling out.

But it was too late, Jonouchi had already started his attack.

Seto smirked. "I knew you would not be able to resist. I reveal my spell card Shrink. Your Panther's attack is cut in half." Panther warrior was destroyed and Jonouchi lost 700 life points. "Now that I know your lack of ability, I will start the duel properly," he said dismissively.

"Why you... Kaiba! How can you be so disrespectful towards Jonouchi?" Feeling sorry for her friend, Anzu called out again.

Seto Kaiba turned to look at Yugi and his friends. "Yugi, If I hear any more from your groupies in the peanut gallery, I will disqualify your hapless friend." Yugi opened his mouth to speak but Kaiba cut him off. "And if you say anything, I might be inclined to disqualify you as well."

Mana was incensed. "You wouldn't dare! I thought you wanted to duel Yugi."

"Shhh... It's okay Mana." Atem placed his arms around her. "I'm pretty sure he won't carry out his threat, he's just trying to wind you up. Don't bite back, just watch and be quiet," he whispered. He then raised his voice, just enough for the two duelists to hear. "I have faith in Jonouchi's ability to show him how good he is."

Seto Kaiba rolled his eyes and continued, using Kaiser Seahorse as a tribute to play one of his beloved Blue Eyes White Dragons.

To begin with. the duel seemed to be rather one sided. But after losing over half his life points, Jonouchi made a surprising comeback by playing his Red Eyes Black Dragon and using Skull Dice and Graceful Dice, destroying Seto's dragon and taking a chunk of his life points. This seemed to shake Kaiba slightly.

But not for long. Unfortunately, losing his life points to Jonouchi only seemed to make him play with more conviction and he went on to finish the game quickly.

The final would be just as Seto Kaiba expected and most of the audience had hoped: Yugi Mutou vs Seto Kaiba.

::::::::::::

There was a fifteen minute interval between Seto's victory over Jonouchi and his match with Yugi. This gave both players time to make any adjustments to their decks in preparation for the final.

Since Kaiba was world champion, the winner would earn the newly created title of King of Games.

Yugi's hands were trembling as he and Atem looked over his deck for one last time. "Stop stressing Yugi! I have faith in you, so have some faith in yourself," Atem reassured him for the third time.

"Win or lose, you are still a champion to me," Anzu soothed.

"Thanks," Yugi grinned nervously.

"You gonna make any changes Yuge?" Jonouchi wanted to know.

"No," Yugi shook his head. "I think I will go with the cards I have chosen. There is no point in trying to change anything now. I have to trust in my deck." The intercom buzzed and the announcer called the two duelists to take their places. Yugi gave his brother one last look, for reassurance.

"Good decision to stick with your trusted cards Yugi," Atem nodded. "And stop shaking okay?" He grasped his brother's hand and gave it an encouraging squeeze. "We all have faith in you to do this Yugi."

"Yeah, thanks Yami," Yugi laughed nervously. "I don't know why I'm so nervous. I have nothing to lose and everything to gain." He stood up to leave his friends.

At that moment Sugoroku came rushing in with Ryou. "Ah good! We're just in time. I have closed the shop early so that I can watch my grandson teach that arrogant young man a lesson in humility. Good luck Yugi."

"Thanks Grandpa!" He clenched his fist around his deck and took a deep breath. _Well here goes._

As boldly as he could, he made his way out into the stadium and climbed up onto his dueling platform to the loud cheers of the audience.

* * *

 **I will not be writing out the duel in detail, unless you, my readers want me to. The reason for not doing so is because the main theme of the story is** **not dueling, and I don't want to get too sidetracked away from my main plot.**

 **Please review.**


	13. Chapter 13

I recently re-read the Death-T arc featured in volume 4 and 5 of the manga. Kaiba really was complacent in believing that no one could beat his dragons. I have tried to focus on the emotions during the duel rather than write out a long boring duel. Hopefully, I have captured Seto's dismissive attitude towards the possibility of Yugi winning.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.

* * *

Broken Dreams

Chapter 13 Growth

As Yugi stepped up onto the dueling platform, he could hear the crowd getting louder. Being humble, he convinced himself that the crowd were cheering for Seto Kaiba and not him.

"Can you hear them calling for Yugi?" Anzu stated proudly to her friends.

"Yeah," Jonouchi grinned. "GO YUGI," he yelled and then placed his fingers in his mouth and let out a shrill whistle.

"Jonouchi! You almost deafened me." Ryou was standing right next to him and had to cover his sensitive ears. He winced again, when not to be outdone, Honda and Atem both let out whistles of their own.

"Is something wrong Bakura?" Sugoroku who was standing beside him hadn't flinched at the sound of the whistling.

"I have sensitive ears."

"Oh! For once, I am glad that my hearing is not what it once was," Sugoroku chuckled.

Meanwhile, Seto had taken his position opposite Yugi and was staring him down with a look of supremacy.

This and the sound of the cheering crowd, had made Yugi shrink down behind his console slightly, making him look even smaller than he actually was.

Atem clenched his fists at his side. "C'mon Yugi, don't do this," he hissed. "Stand tall and impose yourself." Yugi could often be far too self-deprecating, and now was not the time to show his opponent that he lacked confidence. It would only serve to boost Seto Kaiba's own overly inflated ego.

With the duel platforms now lifted into position, Seto Kaiba smirked. "Well, well Yugi. From the look of you I would say you have already given up."

Yugi felt his face flush and he couldn't stop himself from tucking his chin into his shoulder and looking away nervously.

"Don't listen to him Yuge," Jonouchi yelled.

"Oh! Yugi," Anzu could feel her palms sweating as she clasped her hands fearfully to her chest.

"Yugi!" Atem shouted commandingly, making his brother start and look over at him. "Stand strong." This command was enough to jolt Yugi into remembering what Atem had instructed him to do: _'Even if you are terrified Yugi, stand as tall as you possibly can, hold your head high and fix your opponent with an intimidating stare.'_ Yugi smiled nervously at his brother and nodded. He suddenly realised just how much his posture had sagged and straightened himself up to his full height; which was still diminutive compared to Seto Kaiba.

He fixed Seto with his own version of his brother's death stare. "I haven't given up Kaiba," he shouted, with mock confidence.

"Good! Because I would feel cheated if you didn't at least try Yugi."

"Then let's duel Kaiba!" The crowd let out another deafening cheer at Yugi's words. Only this time, Yugi wasn't frightened by their roar: Instead, he felt something stir inside his chest that made his heart beat harder. He recognised it as excitement.

This was the toughest duel Yugi had faced yet. It was easy to see why Seto Kaiba was the current world champion. He duelled with a confidence and aggression that Yugi had not experienced before, his monsters were powerful and he attacked without hesitation or fear. It was obvious to Yugi, that his dueling philosophy was to intimidate his opponent into submission.

However, if he thought this tactic would work on Yugi, he was in for a shock. While on the surface Yugi appeared timid, his skill at reading his opponent and his ability to think quickly soon started to unsettle Seto. Every time Seto thought he had Yugi on the ropes, the diminutive duelist would pull a trap or spell which he would use to enhance his monster's ability to defend itself from attack, and then turn the attack on his attacker.

Yugi had also forgotten his earlier nervousness and was starting to enjoy himself. He was so focussed on the duel that he had even forgotten about the audience scrutinising their every move. Kaiba was testing him to the limits and he was rising to the occasion.

"I must say, I am surprised at how well you have fought Yugi, but someone like you will never beat a duelist of my level," Seto said smugly.

"Why do you say that Kaiba?!" Yugi found it strange that Kaiba could be so arrogant and self assured when Yugi was matching him play for play.

"Because you are weak and so are your cards. Compared to mine they are pathetic," he sneered.

Yugi shrank back slightly. Was what Kaiba saying true? Had Kaiba simply been toying with him? Getting him to play all his best cards early on, so that when Kaiba finally played his trump card, Yugi would be helpless! He still had not played all of his Blue Eyes White Dragons. If that was the case then Yugi really could not win! He had done his best, maybe it was time to give in.

Atem frowned when he noticed Yugi flinch at Kaiba's words and was just about to speak up when Jonouchi yelled out.

"Yeah, well if that's the case, why is Yugi winning, ya... big jerk?" Jonouchi was angry. How could Rich Boy say such a thing when Yugi had 1800 life points left and Kaiba had 1750?!

"Don't listen to him Yugi, he's just trying to intimidate you because you are beating him," Anzu called.

Yugi looked over at his friends and family for some encouragement.

"Have faith in your ability Yugi. Anzu and Jonouchi are right. Don't give up until you have played your last card," Atem clenched his fist in resolve hoping that it would re-fuel his brother's confidence.

"And remember the Heart of the Cards Yugi!" Sugoroku called.

Yugi felt warmed and comforted by the support he was getting. He chanced a glance around the stadium and as he did he heard as many people chanting his name as he could people chanting for Kaiba. He smiled and looked back towards his friends and family, giving them the thumbs up.

"Thanks guys, I won't give up."

The remark made Seto roll his eyes. "Please, spare the little pep talk. You are pathetic, your friends are even more pathetic for thinking you stand a chance. I will show you why you can't beat me! I possess a card that you have not yet seen - an invincible monster. Come forth Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon." After playing his third Blue Eyes White Dragon, he sacrificed them to being out the card he had been so desperate to play.

The crowd gasped at the theatrics produced by the holographic system. Bolts of white lightening lit up the stadium and a sharp crack of thunder was heard as the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon materialized.

Yugi found himself staring up at three fearsome, heads with hungry mouths agape, revealing sharp, dagger like teeth dripping with saliva. It had 4500 attack points and Yugi was sure he had nothing in his deck that could match it. Just the sight of it was enough to make the average duelist want to pee his pants and give in.

He grimaced when one of the heads lunged towards him and blasted him with it's hot, foul breath. _How did Kaiba get his holographic special effects to do that?!_ Was the first thought that crossed his mind. The second was _How the hell do I beat that thing!_ Luckily, he managed to hold onto his bladder.

All Yugi could do was place Celtic Guardian in defence and another card face down.

Seto Kaiba played Stop Defence to force Celtic Guardian into attack mode. "It's over Yugi."

"No...! Oh.. Yugi!" As Kaiba launched his attack, Anzu couldn't watch and had to cover her face with her hands.

Mana gasped. She felt Atem tense momentarily beside her and she reached for his hand.

In that same moment the loud echo of swords slicing through the air and piercing the ground, accompanied by a bright flash could be heard above Yugi's voice, as he called out "I play Swords of Revealing Light. Your monster can't attack me for three turns." He had played his face down card.

"Yugi has bought himself some time," Ryou said, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Hmph... You are just delaying the inevitable Yugi," Seto said dismissively. However, he was starting to become irritated and impatient. He was unable to fully mask the disappointment of his attack being thwarted, and that gave Yugi some hope.

"My turn." Yugi kept his face neutral as he drew Pot of Greed. He played the card and drew two more cards.

Closing her eyes for a second, Mana concentrated on pleading with her counterpart from the spirit world to help Yugi. He had already used his Dark Magician to save himself and Mahado's spirit monster was now in the graveyard. So it was now up to her to try and do something to help.

 _Heart of the Cards, help me..._ Yugi pleaded in his head as he drew his two cards. His prayers were answered as he drew Dark Magician Girl and Magic Cylinder. He sacrificed his Celtic Guardian and played his Dark Magician Girl in Attack and Magic Cylinder face down. "Your turn Kaiba."

"What an amateur move. Did you think I wouldn't have a way to get rid of your swords? I play Stamping Destruction. Your Swords of Revealing Light is gone. Stamping Destruction also allows me to inflict 500 points of damage to your life points." Yugi's life points dropped to 1300. "It's all over Yugi. Your pathetic little woman is no match for my Ultimate Dragon." He let out a rather arrogant sounding laugh.

"Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon – destroy Yugi's magician and take the rest of his life points. You tried Yugi, but you were no match for me!"

Everyone was hushed as Yugi flipped his face down card. "It's not over yet Kaiba, I reveal Magic Cylinder. With it my Dark Magician Girl can send your attack right back at you."

There was a massive flash as Seto's dragon was destroyed, followed by stunned silence as his life points dropped to zero.

Seto Kaiba's jaw flapped and his face went pale _How on earth did I not see that coming?_ "How?!" Was all he could mumble. So certain was he of victory.

Jonouchi was the first person to openly celebrate. "Woo hoo! Yeah! Yugi's the man. You suck Rich Boy." He and Honda started jumping up and down.

Anzu and Mana both screeched and hugged each other. "I told you _my_ spirit card would help Yugi win, didn't I!" Mana squealed.

Atem stood with his arms folded, smirking and nodded proudly when Yugi looked over at him. "I knew you would do it Yugi." Although Yugi couldn't hear his brother over the loud cheering that had now erupted in the stadium, he sort of managed to guess by lip reading. A huge beaming smile broke out on his face. He had done it! He had beaten Seto Kaiba.

The announcer stepped out and announced Yugi as the newly crowned King of Games. The two duelists were called over for the presentation and it took all of Seto's will power not to just storm out of the building he had designed specifically for himself to be crowned. Instead this little squirt, with virtually no previous experience had stolen _his_ title.

"Thank you for the duel Kaiba." When Yugi offered Seto his hand to shake, Seto snarled. If he had not been standing in front of twenty thousand fans he would have taken Yugi's hand and crushed it. Instead, he just squeezed a little harder than was necessary, making Yugi yelp.

"Don't gloat. I don't know how someone like you managed to win. But I'm guessing it was a fluke. It won't happen again," he hissed, making sure the microphone was nowhere near him.

Yugi just smiled nervously. The microphone was now being pointed at them and he didn't know what to say. He wanted to tell Seto that the reason he lost was because he put too much faith in his dragon and had dismissed the possibility that someone might beat it. But he refrained from saying anything because he figured that Kaiba would probably lose his temper if he did.

The announcer handed Yugi a cheque for 100'000Yen and a beautifully crafted trophy in the form of a Blue Eyes White Dragon, which would have his name engraved on it.

Seto was seething, the money was irrelevant, but the title and the trophy were not – he had designed that trophy especially to his own tastes. And he had wanted that title to prove his own dominance in the world of gaming. This spiky haired, innocent looking little dweeb had denied him that; humiliating him in front of an audience. This would be hard to forget.

Yugi on the other hand was smiling happily. It was still only just sinking in that he was the world champion and King of Games. In the past, his shyness and lack of self belief had always held him back. It had always been his brother that was the one to shine and now it seemed, that at last, he was catching up with his brother.

His friends could not stop congratulating him. "Man, did you see Kaiba's face? He looked like someone fed him a shit sandwich," Jonouchi grinned.

"Ugh! Jonouchi! That's horrible! Don't be so disgusting." Both girls grimaced and Anzu slapped him.

"Figure of speech!" He defended.

"Yeah, and I bet he choked on it.." Honda started laughing.

While they were busy laughing at Seto's expense, Atem took the opportunity to congratulate Yugi. Unable to contain his happiness, he threw his arms around his smaller twin and hugged him tightly. "I'm proud of you Yugi."

"We all are," Sugoroku joined in the hug, patting both of his grandsons on the back. "I am proud of both of you."

"Yeah, I couldn't have won without your help Yami," Yugi said pulling away slightly. "You've always helped me. I have always wished I could be confident like you, and now I have proved I can be."

"That you have my boy, that you have," Sugoroku concluded proudly.

After all the interviews had been done, Yugi was relieved to be able to go home. His friends had all stayed close, and by the time they all left the stadium it was getting late and everyone was exhausted.

"Did anyone see where Kaiba went?" In all the excitement, Yugi had not seen him since the presentation.

"Don't care," Jonouchi replied. "He can go to hell as far as I'm concerned."

"That's not nice Jonouchi! Kaiba might be a jerk, but he had a lot riding on today. He's probably not feeling that great." Anzu was suddenly feeling sympathetic.

"I agree with Anzu," Yugi stated. "I had hoped I might get to speak to him before he left. Not to gloat but to make things right. I don't want there to be any hard feelings between us."

"And how would you make it right Yugi? I don't think he's the type not to bear a grudge. I think you would be best off keeping out of his way," Atem told his brother.

"Yes, Yugi. Something tells me he might not take it too well if you approached him right now," Ryou added. "I saw him and his brother slide out through a back door before the journalists could get to him. He had a face like a slapped bottom." Everyone sniggered at Ryou's description of Kaiba's look.

Back at the Mutous home, everyone was excited to find that Mrs Mutou had been baking. Jonouchi's eyes lit up at the sight of all the food. "I thought you might all like a party to celebrate Yugi's victory," she said, slapping Honda and Jonouchi's hands when they tried to grab handfuls of rice balls.

"Can everyone stay for a sleepover tonight Mum?" Yugi asked excitedly.

"Aren't you tired from all the duels?" Sugoroku chuckled.

"Nah! We're fired up and ready to party!" Jonouchi declared. "And anyway, I don't wanna go home to my rat infested dump of an apartment after having such a great day. It would kinda put a spoiler on things," he added, looking a bit down in the hope it would win over Mrs Mutou's sympathy.

"Yes, of course you can all stay," Hana smiled. "But you girls should ring your families first. If there is any problem, I will explain that you will both be sleeping in the guest room," she said firmly.

"Mum!" Atem pouted. "We're not planning anything!" He would have preferred to have Mana in his room and put Jonouchi, Honda and Ryou in the guest room. He knew Yugi would probably agree with that idea.

"Like an orgy," Jonouchi sniggered, earning himself a slap from both Anzu and Mana. "Hey! I'm only joking! You don't have to both beat me up!"

After saying good night to the boys, Anzu and Mana washed and brushed their teeth before settling into the guest room in borrowed pairs of Mrs Mutou's pyjamas.

Still feeling unsure about her own relationship issues, Anzu was keen to know about Mana's relationship with Atem. "Mana? I don't wish to be nosy or anything, but..." There was no easy way to ask this. "How far.. I mean have you and Yami... you know.. progressed beyond kissing and stuff yet?" Mana didn't seem to mind the question and giggled.

"Prince has naughty hands." Anzu raised her eyebrows at this. "But no! I know he wants to but I'm making him wait a little longer. My culture frowns upon what it calls promiscuity, so I am treading a fine line between your culture and mine. Prince is very understanding though. What about you and Yugi? You two have been going out for ages, so you must have?" she raised an enquiring eyebrow and giggled again.

Having her own question thrown back at her caused Anzu to blush.

"No! We haven't. Not everyone here is promiscuous. I have also been brought up to be cautious about having sex. We've talked about it and fooled around a bit, but we both agreed to wait until the time is right."

The door cracked open and Yami and Yugi both crept in. "What are you two talking about?" Atem whispered.

"N.. nothing!" Both girls almost shrieked.

"Shhh..." Yugi put a finger to his lips. "We don't want to wake Grandpa and Mum. They would ground us if they catch us."

"What do you both want?" Mana whispered slightly flirtatiously.

"Why, to see our gorgeous girlfriends of course," Atem smirked.

"Yeah, we didn't get chance to say good night properly. Plus Jonouchi got his hands on Grandpa's whiskey. He has decided to flop on my bed and snore his head off. There's no way I'm sleeping in there with him," Yugi grimaced.

"Well, as long as you behave." Anzu slid over a little so that Yugi could get in beside her.

"Are those my Mum's pyjamas?!" It felt a bit weird cuddling Anzu while she was wearing his mother's pink silk pyjamas!

"Yes, they're rather pretty, don't you think?" Mana showed off her matching pale blue ones.

"I would prefer it if you weren't wearing them." Atem's face went scarlet when he realised what he had just said implied. "I mean... I didn't.."

"Prince! Shame on you," Mana teased.

"Nice one Yami!" Yugi sniggered.

"I just meant that snuggling up to you in Mum's pyjamas is a bit strange.. It's like cuddling Mum," Atem tried to explain.

"Yeah, I know what you mean Yami," Yugi agreed.

"You two are weird," Mana giggled.

"Yep! A real pair of weirdos," Anzu added. "Still, if you don't like the pyjamas you can always go back to your own rooms."

"No..." Both boys quickly jumped into their girlfriends respective bed and snuggled down. "We'll get used to it," Atem quickly decided.

It wasn't long before all four were fast asleep.

::::::::::::

At the Kaiba mansion, you could have cut the atmosphere with a knife. Seto had his limousine take him and Mokuba straight home. He asked not to be disturbed and then retreated to his private suite.

The following morning, when there was still no sign of him at breakfast, Mokuba decided to intervene. He intercepted the butler, Hobson, on his way to Seto's room, wheeling a trolley containing Seto's favourite breakfast. "I'ts okay Hobson, I will take Seto his breakfast."

"Very good Sir." Hobson bowed his head and shuffled off, leaving Mokuba alone with the trolley.

Mokuba chanced a quick glance to see what Seto had ordered. "Mmmm," he sniffed at the plate of creamy scrambled eggs, smoked salmon, toast, orange juice and a large cafetiere of fresh coffee.

He hammered on Seto's door.

"Enter," he heard the gruff reply.

Upon entering, Mokuba was surprised to see his brother sitting at his desk by the window, working away on his laptop. "Good morning big brother, when you didn't come to breakfast this morning... I was worried."

"Worried about what exactly?" Seto stopped typing and looked up.

"I brought your breakfast." Mokuba avoided answering and tried to act normally. It was obvious that Seto wasn't in the mood to bring up his loss to Yugi.

"Thank you Mokuba. Leave it there." He pointed to the spot by the window seat. Mokuba did as he was told and then hovered by his brother's desk.

"Is there something you wanted to ask me Mokuba?"

"No... Well, yes actually... I was worried about you after yesterday."

"You mean my defeat to Yugi?"

"Yes big brother.. Only it doesn't matter. In my opinion you will always be the worlds best duelist."

"Relax Mokuba. I was angry, yes. But I have had some time to think about it and I have decided that in the grand scheme of things, Yugi's victory is irrelevant. Please, pour me some coffee?"

"In what way?" Mokuba did as he was asked and handed Seto his coffee. "There, just as you like it, black, one sugar."

Seto took the coffee and leaned back in his chair. "I have analysed my strategy for yesterday and I have accepted that I was complacent. It won't happen again. For now, I am happy to let Yugi enjoy his little victory. I have decided that I have far more important goals for the future. Since taking over Kaiba Corp. I have changed its direction from an arms manufacturer to a gaming software producer. My new goal is to be king of the business world, and for this I need to concentrate my time fully into moving the company forward and branching out into new areas."

"Wow! Can I help you Seto?" Mokuba's eyes were wide with admiration for his brother.

"You are still only thirteen Mokuba, your schooling is more important. But you can support me by listening to my ideas. I would rather you did not get involved in the cut throat world of business until you are an adult." He didn't want his younger brother losing his childhood as he had been forced to.

"What do you plan to do Seto?"

"I have been researching companies that offer great products but are struggling financially due to poor management. Electronics and software development for gaming is my area of expertise, but I am also thinking of branching out into hospitality. I plan to build a new theme park and incorporate the latest VR technology along with hotels in which guests can stay. Within five years, I intend to be the worlds richest man."

"Awesome big brother!"

"I have just printed off a list of companies I am interested in purchasing. Your task for today Mokuba, is to research the viability of these companies and then report back to me. I'm looking for companies that have just started out but need financial backing to move forward, or ones that have over stretched themselves financially."

"Yes, I will get right on it." Mokuba grabbed the sheets of paper and hurried away to do his research. He really wanted to impress his big brother.

After he had gone, Seto smirked. His younger brother's enthusiasm for life was a breath of fresh air. Seto had all his childish love of life knocked out of him by his brutal stepfather. He didn't want Mokuba to suffer what he had. He would sacrifice his own sanity and well being if it meant providing a good life for Mokuba.

He closed his laptop and sat at the window seat to eat his breakfast. Maybe that defeat to the Mutou kid had been a blessing in disguise. It proved that you could never rest on your laurels, you always had to strive to improve. Otherwise you would get washed away with all the other try hard failures in life.

* * *

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter.** **Please let me know what you think.**


	14. Chapter 14

This chapter ended up slightly longer than usual. I didn't really like my original draft and decided to re-write it. I had this amusing idea for a camping trip in my head and rather than write it up as a separate one shot, included it in this story instead, as something for them all to do over the summer break. It is a chapter of two halves and I hope you like it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Please be aware that this chapter contains some violence towards the end, some adult themes and lewd behaviour, a little bad language and a lot of fun!

Disclaimer and Warning: I do not own Yugioh but I do own this story. I have recently been alerted to the fact that another web site has been uploading content from Fanfiction and Youtube onto it's own site and making money from everyone else's hard work: I believe the term used for it is called Freebooting. So please be aware this is happening when posting your own stories.

* * *

Broken Dreams

Chapter 15. Chance Meeting.

With his new title King of Games, Yugi was required to attend the odd tournament and promotion, but apart from that, he was relived that his life had not changed very much.

To begin with, young kids would come up to him and ask for a photo or to duel him. However, after a couple of months, the Duel Monsters craze tailed off a little and people started to forget about his victory at the tournament.

But he still had his trophy to remind him, and he had put the money away in his bank account to help fund his education.

He had not heard anything from Seto Kaiba, but it had been in the news recently, that Kaiba Corporation had been growing its profits and buying up smaller competitors. So Yugi guessed that Kaiba had put his defeat behind him and was concentrating on his business empire.

The exhibition at the museum had also proved very popular. Because Ancient Egypt seemed to capture peoples imaginations and was pulling in the crowds it was granted an extra tenure. Ishizu was confident that it might even become a permanent exhibit should the sponsors continue with funding.

Yugi had also started to put more effort into school work and had signed up to do extra history lessons and also English. He would need both these subjects if he was going to get into university and study archaeology.

Ishizu's new course was starting next spring, but Yugi would have to wait another year before he graduated high school, so he had plenty of time to get his grades up to the required level.

His long awaited growth spurts had also arrived and over the course of a few months he had grown nearly five inches! He was now roughly the same height as his brother making them much more difficult to tell apart, unless you were up close.

::::::::::::

With the arrival of the summer holidays, the friends decided to go on a camping trip that had been organized by one of their teachers.

At the beginning of the new school year, Mahado had allowed Mana to transfer to Domino to be with her friends. He had conceded that she would do better in a school where she was happy, rather than in one which made her miserable. In return, she promised to work harder at keeping her heka under control; not easy, but with Prince being so understanding about her ability and her close friends not at all fazed by her ability, she was able to manage.

It was a hot sunny day when the two school mini buses full of excited students and four teachers pulled up at the campsite. The teachers gave orders for the students to put up their tents. Most of the students had brought their own tents.

Honda had purchased his tent from the army surplus store, while Anzu brought the four person tent that her father had purchased for the one and only camping trip her family had ever been on.

Honda and Jonouchi decided to share his two man tent and went to put it up, not noticing that they had chosen an uneven patch of ground, where tree roots were pushing up under the surface, on which to pitch it!

"Should we tell them?" Anzu sniggered to Yugi, Mana and Atem.

"No, let them find out the hard way," Atem decided.

"Prince! That's a bit mean!" Mana complained and Yugi nodded in agreement.

"You think?!" Atem was a bit surprised that they should feel sorry for the hapless duo. "Have you all forgotten about them boasting about being experienced campers and experts at survival in the wild? Honda has bet me that they will have their tent up before ours, so lets get cracking. If we win, they will do all our washing up for the whole weekend!"

"What are we waiting for?! Let's win this." Yugi immediately jumped into action, grabbing their four person tent. It had a communal space in the middle and two sleeping compartments on either side.

"Where on earth do we start?" Anzu stared at the crumpled fabric spread out on the ground with poles laid out around it.

"Crap! They've nearly got their tent up!" Yugi noticed.

Suddenly a gust of wind blew and Jonouchi screeched as the tent was whipped from his hands and deposited itself on a branch in the nearest tree.

"Oops!" Mana giggled.

"Mana! Did you just...?" Atem gave her a severe look, but when he heard Yugi and Anzu sniggering he couldn't help smile.

"Right! There's a logical way to do this." Yugi picked up the instructions and looked over the items they had spread out on the ground.

"Sorry, I'm not much help, am I. My dad did most of it last time," Anzu sighed.

"I could use magic?!" Mana looked at the three hopefully.

"No! That would be cheating, " Anzu concluded. "Besides, someone might notice if you did."

"She's right Mana," Atem wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead. "We don't need magic to assemble a tent. Yugi's pretty good at working out stuff like this."

"Right! Got it guys!" Yugi nodded and quickly told them where to begin.

Working together, the four had their tent up in no time.

"Finished! We win!" They chorused triumphantly.

By now, Jonouchi and Honda had rescued their tent from the tree and were trying to untangle the ropes which had somehow become knotted. They had also realised that the ground was bumpy and were looking for a better place to pitch it. Unfortunately, all the best spots had been taken and they were left very little space, so they were stuck with either the bumpy ground or the only remaining space next to the teachers tent – no one wanted to be right next to the teachers tent.

With the barbecue eaten, everyone sat around the campfire telling stories and singing songs.

"Okay everyone! Time for your beds!" Mr. Karita got up and clapped his hands together. "I will want you all up at six sharp tomorrow morning, for a three mile run before breakfast." This attracted a unanimous groan from everyone - Teachers included.

"Yes, and you are all to behave yourselves. No boys are to sleep in the same compartments as girls, is that clear?" Miss Inoue instructed.

"Yes Miss," everyone mumbled.

After visiting the wash room to brush their teeth and use the toilets, they headed back to their tent.

"Miss Inoue is such a hypocrit. Did you see Mr. Kurosawa kept touching her knee?! And they have gone into the tent together! He's married! The creep!" Anzu said bitterly.

Atem pulled the zip shut on their tent. "Yes, well you're not planning to take any notice of that rule, are you? Night you two, have fun." He pulled Mana close to him while at the same time giving Yugi a lopsided smirk and a wink. Yugi knew exactly what he meant.

"What?! I thought Yugi was sharing with you and I was going to share with Mana!" Anzu was shocked when it occurred to her the boys might have planned this all along.

"But Yami! What if we get caught?" Yugi was now starting to have reservations.

"So! It's not like they will break into our tent. And if they do suspect anything, we can tell them we know about their affair," Atem shrugged. "Anyway, as long as we don't make too much noise, no one will know."

"Noise?!" Maybe this really wasn't such a good idea. Yugi suddenly gasped and kept his voice low, "Oh no! These tents have really thin walls. Every little noise will carry."

"I hope Miss Inoue and Mr. Kurosawa remember that!" Mana grimaced.

Atem saw that Anzu did not look very pleased with them for making sleeping arrangements behind her back. "Is it okay if we take this sleeping compartment?" Grabbing his and Mana's sleeping mats and bags off the floor, he ducked into the opening to one of the small bedroom areas as quickly as he could.

"Goodnight Anzu, Yugi. I hope you don't mind too much," Mana shrugged, looking slightly guilty. "Only Yugi said you would be fine with... Oops!" She suddenly remembered Anzu had not known that Yugi knew about their sleeping arrangement in advance. She quickly followed Atem into the compartment and pulled the flap closed.

Anzu turned to Yugi with a frosty look. "You have some explaining to do Mr." She grabbed him by the front of his shirt and pulled him towards their sleeping compartment.

"Oh dear! I don't think Anzu is very happy with us," Mana whispered to Atem as she squeezed in with him and started helping him roll out their sleeping mats and bags.

"She'll get over it. Those two are crazy about each other, it's about time they got it together." He handed her a sleeping bag to unpack.

"I hope so. I just don't think Anzu likes breaking school rules very much."

"They will be fine, trust me on this, okay?" When they had finished making up their love nest, he pulled her into a passionate kiss.

"Remember! No noise," she whispered into their kiss. She felt him smirk against her lips as he started to slide his hands inside her clothing. With just the faintest glow from the dimmed lamp, he lowered her into their cosy love nest.

"S.. sleeping bags." Yugi pointed at their kit on the floor. Anzu let go of his collar and allowed him to collect them before shoving him into their canvas bedroom.

He was about to begin his apology and explain that he had not known about it until this morning, but had not had time, or the privacy to tell her about it, when she threw herself at him and started kissing him. "Anzu?!" He gasped in alarm, pulling away slightly.

"Yes, I'm annoyed at you for not asking me first, but I would much rather sleep with you than Mana."

"You r..really don't mind?!" He almost squeaked.

"Really... Now let's get our bed made up."

He nodded, excited at the prospect of spending three nights sleeping with Anzu. Together, they started unrolling the mats.

"I would have asked you Anzu," he began. "But Yami only arranged it this morning and there have been people around us all day. I couldn't really broadcast it on the bus. I'm sorry."

"You don't have to say sorry Yugi, I'm not angry. Now, how do we lay out these sleeping bags so that we can cuddle up to each other?"

His eyes went wide with excitement. "Oh! Well, I'd say open them out flat and use one to lay on and the other as a blanket." They hurriedly placed their bedding out and then cuddled up together.

"This is nice and cosy," she said, snuggling into him as they kissed.

"We don't have to do any more than this if you don't want," he murmured.

"Who says I want to stop just yet?!" She started kissing him more passionately, sliding her hands inside his pyjama top, massaging his back.

He almost let out a little growl of enjoyment at the soothing touch but managed to stop himself. He would have to be very careful not to touch her in a way that would make her moan. "If you feel like making a noise, bury your face in my neck or something," he whispered.

"I promise, not a noise," she whispered back.

The glare of a flash light beam moving between the tents made them stop what they were doing. Heavy boots walked close by and the beam shone onto the wall of their tent, illuminating the inside. The pair moved apart slightly and lay still. It was Mr. Karita doing the rounds to make sure everyone was settled and not sitting inside their tent drinking alcohol, playing games or having sex.

The heavy boots moved away towards the other tents.

"Do you think he suspected anything?!" Anzu whispered.

"No," Yugi shook his head, "we're safe. I think he was looking to see if he could make out shapes inside the tents or hear any sounds. The material on this tent is quite thick and dark coloured so there's no way he would know who was inside."

"Phew! That was close though. Maybe we had better just go to sleep."

"Yeah," he agreed, somewhat reluctantly. He had been hoping for a bit of a make out session. Mr. Karita snooping around on night patrol had put a damper on things.

They snuggled down and after a long tiring day and tons of fresh air, were soon fast asleep.

::::::::::::

Everyone was rudely awakened at six o'clock on the dot by the sound of a whistle being blown loudly and two pans being clanged together.

"Awww man.." Jonouchi grumbled. "Shut the fuck up! I'm tryin ta sleep!" He shouted.

Honda let out a groan and let out a loud fart and flapped his sleeping bag to let it out.

"Urgh! Fuckin heck man, that stinks. You trying to kill me or something?" With his hand over his nose, Jonouchi nearly pulled the tent over as he ripped open the flap and leaped outside for some air, blinking as bright, early morning sunlight hit him. Wearing just his tee-shirt and boxers, he took a deep breath and stretched himself out. "Huh?! A large shadow fell across him. "Karita!"

"That's Sensei Karita to you, you useless foul mouthed yob! Make yourself decent, you're flashing you oaf."

Jonouchi looked down and was horrified to see the flap on his boxers was open. "Urk!" He quickly shoved himself back into his boxers. He was about to make some comment about keeping his serpent under control when a hand went over his mouth, shutting him up.

"Y... Yes Sir he will!" Honda had appeared beside him and had stopped him from retaliating and making things worse.

"You pair of...morons! Get your sports kit on." Mumbling, Mr. Karita walked away. Both boys pulled rude faces at his retreating back.

Inside their love nest, Atem and Mana mumbled and woke up. Both were tired after last night.

"Nooo.. Please let me sleep," Mana groaned. "Please let me use my magic to stop that horrible noise?"

"Shhh," Atem kissed her forehead. "Don't make too much noise and alert him to our voices," he whispered. He slithered out from between their bedding and looked down at himself. "God I really need a shower," he hissed.

"Me too," Mana mouthed. She really wanted to reach out and run her hands all over his lean, toned chest, abdomen and thighs, but managed to resist. Instead, she grabbed her sports kit and quickly got dressed.

Having been disturbed by the noise, Anzu yawned and sat up, smiling at Yugi who was still sleeping. She chuckled and rubbed her nose against his and then kissed him. Yugi could sleep through an earthquake. "Wake up sleepy."

"Hmm... Anzu," he mumbled incoherently, "Dance naked... mmm... chocolate." A serene smile graced his features.

"Yugi!" Anzu was horrified and intrigued, while at the same time she felt turned on by his fantasy. Embarrassed by her own feelings, she went to slap his face playfully but slapped him harder than she intended.

"Argh...!" He jumped and sat bolt upright. "What was that for?!" He shrieked.

"Shhh... Sorry, sorry," she tried to hush him, fearing Mr. Karita would hear them. "I didn't mean to. It's time for Mr. Karita's run."

"Oh...! No... Let me sleep..." he groaned, flopping back down. "Such a nice dream..."

"No! It's time to get up." She shook him by the shoulders.

"Okay, okay I'm up. Where are my clothes?"

She handed him his bag and they both changed into their running kit quickly.

They emerged from their sleeping compartment at the same time as Atem and Mana. "Sleep okay?" Atem asked with a smirk.

"I was _still_ sleeping. Why'd Karita have to wake us up for his stupid run," Yugi complained.

"Come on, it will do us good. Be positive and he won't pick on you," Atem advised.

As the students stood on the start line, Atem took a deep lungful of the fresh, clean, early morning air. It was still comfortable but Atem could tell it was going to be another hot day. "Ready Yugi? I hope you're going to give me a decent race," he egged his brother on.

"I have had growth spurts remember? I have weak joints and fatigue."

"Stop making excuses Yuge! I'm gonna thrash the both of ya!" Jonouchi boasted.

"Stop talking!" Mr. Karita barked. And immediately, a hush fell over the group. He walked over and stood in front of Atem. "Don't let the team down Mutou. I expect you to win easily."

"Yes Mr. Karita," he replied without flinching. As the school's star footballer and a professional athlete, he expected Karita to push him.

Mr. Karita blew the whistle and they were off.

"Shall we leave the boys to their macho stuff and run together Mana?" Anzu asked.

"Sounds good to me, I'm not in the mood to race it."

"Well, we should still beat all the girls that are here, and some of the boys." The pair settled into a comfortable pace, that still allowed them to talk.

The route took the students down a trail into the woods and then followed round the lake and back up the hill to the finish. It was actually just under four miles by the time they had finished.

Jonouchi immediately charged off down the hill into the trees. "Moron!" Honda shouted. "He's gonna blow himself out by halfway."

"Yep! That's what were banking on," Atem replied, increasing his speed slightly, leaving Honda behind. Yugi smirked to himself and tucked in behind his brother. Yugi didn't let on that he had been working out more often recently because he wanted to be fit and strong for Anzu. His brother had been too busy to notice.

One mile in the pair caught an out of breath Jonouchi, who had gone off far too fast and had now stopped to walk.

As they left the lake to head back up the final hill, Yugi and Atem were neck and neck. Both tried to out sprint each other for the line and literally fell across it, gasping for breath. Half smiling and half grimacing in pain, the two boys congratulated each other. A few minutes later, Honda came staggering over the line followed by two other boys. There was still no sign of Jonouchi.

"Impressive!" Mr. Karita looked at his stop watch. "Come here you two?" Yugi and Atem obliged. Atem proudly patted his brother on the back.

"Good running. I would call that a draw." Mr. Karita fixed Yugi with a glare. "Why have I never seen you show that much talent before?!"

"I don't know Sir. I guess I just never got the chance," he lied. In truth, he never made any effort and tried to survive PE lessons without being noticed.

"When school starts back in September, I want you on the track team."

Anzu and Mana appeared beside them. "Did you win Yugi?" Anzu said hopefully.

"It was a draw." He wrapped a sweaty arm around her. "Mr. Karita wants me on the track team," he groaned.

"It's about time Yugi. I always said you were a fast runner."

"Right you lot! Is everyone back now?"

"Just Jonouchi Sir," one of the students spoke up. "He was down by the lake skimming stones when I passed him."

"Miho's missing Sir!" Someone else called out.

Just then they heard the sound of voices as Jonouchi came up the hill. Mr. Karita was about to shout at him when he noticed that Jonouchi was carrying someone. It was Miho, who had fallen over, twisting her ankle and grazing her knee.

"Miho!" Honda ran down to help Jonouchi carry her.

"Sorry Sir, but I couldn't just leave her in distress," Jonouchi said innocently. He knew damn well he had just dodged a bullet. Miho falling when she did had given him the perfect excuse for messing around instead of running properly.

Mr. Karita's jaw flapped. He had so wanted to shout at Jonouchi for slacking off, but now it appeared that the boy had redeemed himself by being a hero.

As Miss Inoue and Mr. Kurosawa took Miho to get some medical treatment, he turned to the students. "Right you lot, down to the lake for a swim to ease off your muscles and wash off your sweat. Miss Suzuki says breakfast is in thirty minutes. So get moving."

The water was fresh and cool. Perfect for soothing tired muscles after a run. Everyone was laughing and splashing about.

The rest of the weekend went quickly. Tanned by the fresh air and smelling unwashed, the students packed up their tents. It had been a non stop, exhausting weekend of activity and they were all tired but happy.

"I am going to go home and spend a whole hour, soaking in the bath," Anzu laughed. "I'm filthy."

"Me too," Yugi agreed.

Jonouchi leant over the back of their seats and ruffled their hair. "Heh, heh. I don't wanna know about you two getting filthy this weekend," he leered.

Yugi flinched away. He had never liked it when Jonouchi messed up his hair. And he felt like he had half the forest's ant population living in it as it was!

"Get off Jonouchi! And stop being so smutty," Anzu scolded him angrily. "Anyway, you smell like a farm animal yourself!"

"You want to try sharing a tent with him," Honda laughed.

"It's not my fault the showers didn't work! Anyway Honda, you can talk man! Your fa..." He did not get to finish as Honda grabbed him by the throat.

"Sit down and behave!" Came the gruff voice of Mr. Karita. Everyone was quiet for the journey home.

::::::::::::

With the summer holidays almost over, it was time to get ready for the autumn school semester.

Having spent most of the summer in shorts and tee shirts, Yugi now found that hardly any of his clothes fitted him.

"We need to take you shopping Yugi!" Anzu said excitedly.

"It's okay! Yami can give me some of his clothes." Yugi hated shopping. He only ever agreed to go with Anzu so that he could be with her and admire her figure in the clothes she tried on.

"Nonsense Yugi, you need some decent clothes of your own." Without listening to his protests, she dragged him to the mall.

He always hated getting clothes for himself. Nothing he liked ever fitted him and he always had to face the utter humiliation of needing to buy age 12-13 clothes from the childrens department, where they called him kid or sonny. It was one of the reasons he wore his school uniform most of the time.

The time Anzu had taken him to buy a nice shirt to wear to a party had been the worst experience. If she had not been a woman, he felt sure he would have punched the assistant when she asked Anzu if she was his child minder or big sister! That had been beyond humiliating.

However, he was in for a pleasant surprise when he discovered that men, size small now fitted him. And the shop assistant called him Sir. He left that store happy.

"My feet are in agony. I think my shoes are starting to pinch," he complained as they walked through the mall.

"Gosh! Yugi! I can't believe how much you've grown over the summer," Anzu stated, proudly linking her arm through his. She looked at him and smiled lovingly when she noticed that he was starting to get a small amount of soft facial hair on his top lip and chin. The way the lighting caught it made her want to reach up and stroke his face. She coughed and mentally slapped herself for having such thoughts in public.

"You okay?" He smiled and looked at her.

"Yeah... Let's go and get you some new shoes," she felt her face burning as she pulled him along.

Getting off the bus, they arrived back at the game store with bags full of clothing.

"Hey Grandpa, we're back!" He called, shoving the door open using his foot, since his hands were full.

"My goodness Yugi! Judging by the number of bags, I'm guessing you haven't brought me any change out of the money I gave you," Sugoroku smiled scratching his beard.

Yugi grinned sheepishly. "No, sorry Grandpa. Clothes are quite expensive these days, the money you gave me hardly covered the cost of the new trainers. I had to spend my own allowance on the jeans and I got some cool new shirts off the sale rack." He pulled out one pair of black jeans and another pair in blue, along with two muscle shirts, one in black and one in white. "And what about these shoes?" He pulled out a pair of black ankle boots with decorative studs over the top of the foot. "I thought they would go nicely with these studded wrist bands and belt."

"I should hide those! Your brother will be after them," Sugoroku chuckled.

"Is Yami home?" Yugi asked, as he and Anzu headed to the stairs that lead from the shop to the living area above.

"No, he went training at the gym with Ryuji. Oh! And Jonouchi popped by to see you, but when he found you were out, he went with them."

"Oh! Okay Grandpa," Yugi nodded and he and Anzu went upstairs to the kitchen to make themselves a snack. Since his mother was also out, so they took their snacks up to Yugi's room to watch some pop videos and have a cuddle as well.

::::::::::::

Atem let Jonouchi borrow some of his sports kit to wear and signed him in to the football club's gym as a guest. "Promise me you will behave Jonouchi?" He was well aware that Jonouchi could sometimes be a bit noisy. "Only these guys in here take their workouts pretty seriously."

"Yeah... You can trust me..." His eyes went wide with excitement. "Oh boy! Look at all this cool equipment." He went charging off towards the machines and hopped on one of the treadmills. "How do ya work this thing?" He started pressing buttons and almost flew backwards off the machine when the belt started moving suddenly. Luckily his quick reflexes kicked in and he quickly jumped both feet onto the rail on each side of the belt.

"Who signed you in? You are not a member. You shouldn't be using the equipment if you don't know how to." He was confronted by Mai, who leaned over and pressed the stop button.

"Hey! Wha d'ya doing? I was just getting the hang of that!" He complained and then stared at her with his mouth open when he realised who she was. "You're that chick Yami hooked up with! Wow! You're even more beautiful close up." As usual he had opened his mouth without engaging his brain first.

"Oh shit!" Atem muttered, jogging over to where a rather annoyed looking Mai was confronting a stupidly grinning Jonouchi.

"It's okay Mai, he's with us. I will keep him under control."

"Yeah, well you had better. Any more disturbances and I'm throwing you all out." She stomped off in the direction of the bar.

"What a babe.." Jonouchi swooned.

"What a rich bitch," Otogi added.

"You should forget her Jonouchi. Otogi's right, she's a _very_ rich bitch. And in any case she's older than you and way out of _your_ league."

"So! I like a challenge,"

Atem looked at Otogi and rolled his eyes in amusement. "You have no chance Jonouchi."

"Yeah, if she rejected this cool dude," he jabbed his own chest with his thumb, "and dumped this loser," he then poked the thumb at Atem, only to get it shoved away angrily. "You stand no chance Jonouchi," Otogi finished.

"Wanna bet? Betcha 20'000 Yen I can get her to go out with me?"

"You're on. And don't forget, I never lose," Atem said smugly, offering Jonouchi a handshake. He was absolutely 100% certain that this bet was his. "You got one month to get a date with her."

After they had showered and changed the three boys went up to the bar for coffee. The bar overlooked the football pitch.

"So," Jonouchi began, "I'm guessing her father owns all this and Mai is involved in the running of the club?"

"That's right, they are loaded. Her father owns a chain of spa hotels around the world plus this football club and the athletics stadium next door. Apparently he was born here and Domino FC was his passion growing up. But a serious knee injury put pay to his ambitions of a professional career, so instead he concentrated on building his hospitality empire. And when he had made his fortune, he bought the club. Mai basically runs this place for him," Atem explained.

"Do you think she has any job vacancies?" Jonouchi asked. "If I worked here I could get to know her."

Otogi huffed. "Like she would go out with the guy that cleans the toilets or sells hot dogs."

"You two can take the piss all you like. Once she gets to know me she won't be able to resist my masculine charm and handsome looks." He could feel himself getting a little angry when they both started laughing at him, so he got up. "Meh... I'm going to take a leak before I deck you two arse wipes."

The place was huge and the corridor seemed endless. As he passed by a door marked private, he paused when he thought he heard a crash from within. A woman screamed angrily that she was not his property and that she had no intention of going back out with him. The man was shouting at her, accusing her of using him and yelling that he wasn't going to take no for an answer.

Having grown up with a violent, drunk father, who often hit his mother, Jonouchi felt very strongly about it. Fearing for the woman's safety, he decided to intervene.

Barging the door open, he stormed in, and was shocked to find Mai with her face stained with tears, facing a tall muscular man in a very expensive looking suit. Jonouchi could see a large bruise forming on Mai's cheek.

"Get the fuck away from her you bastard." Jonouchi stood in his fighting stance.

"Fuck off kid, this is none of your business," the man spat.

"When I see a spineless jerk beating up a woman, I make it my business."

"Please," Mai pleaded with him, "Don't get involved, I can handle this loser." She then turned back to the man. "I said NO, and no means no. I am not your woman and I will not go back out with you so get the fuck out of my office Jason, before I call security."

The man, Jason grabbed her by the throat. "This isn't over you bitch."

This aggressive move was all Jonouchi needed to get involved. He grabbed Jason by the wrist and squeezed it so hard that he yelped and let go of Mai's throat. As Jonouchi loosened his grip Jason pulled free and swung a fist at his head, but Jonouchi was a street brawler and knew just about every dirty move. The punch was slow and he easily ducked out of the way and brought his knee up into Jason's stomach. Even though Jason was much larger than Jonouchi, he was no match. Jonouchi grabbed him by the collar of his Armani shirt, ripping it, and hauled him up off the floor, before slamming his back against the wall. "The lady says leave her alone. I suggest you do as she asks. Now get the hell out of here." Jason's response was to try and headbut Jonouchi, but Jonouchi beat him to it. A sickening crack was heard as Jason's nose broke. Jonouchi threw him sideways onto the floor.

Meanwhile, Mai had called security and two guards arrived swiftly. "Escort this loser off the premises. If you ever come anywhere near me again Jason, I will take out an injunction against you. Got it?"

Jason snarled. "You won't get away with this. I will file for assault." He wiped the blood from his bleeding nose.

Mai ripped her blouse open. "And I will say you forced your way into my office and tried to rape me, but this gallant young man saved me." She had the bruises on her face and finger marks on her neck to make her case believable, so, with a snarl, Jason accepted defeat and allowed himself to be escorted out.

"Are you okay?" Jonouchi grabbed some tissues from the box that had been knocked onto the floor in the scuffle and handed them to her to wipe her tears.

"Yes, thank you. You're that idiot from earlier.. in the gym, aren't you?" She sounded almost amused.

"Yeah, but I prefer not to be called an idiot. Katsuya Jonouchi is my real name. Friends call me Jonouchi."

"Well, thanks again for your help Jonouchi. Please don't tell anyone what happened here, I don't want anyone to know that I'm just a weak female. I work hard to compete an a male dominated world. It wouldn't do for them to know I couldn't defend myself from some loser ex-boyfriend, who couldn't handle being dumped." The truth was, Jason had cheated on her and strung her along for years, while sponging off her for her lifestyle and money. He had treated her badly and hurt her emotionally before she plucked up the courage to kick him out. He was the main reason for her trust issues with men, causing her to shy away from relationships. It was why she had treated Atem the way she had.

"Is that who he was? A lady like you deserves better than some jumped up jerk in a fancy suit. Someone like myself for instance!" He grinned. It was no longer about the bet with Atem, he genuinely liked her. She was strong and yet vulnerable. She put up a tough front, but Jonouchi could sense that underneath was a lonely little girl, desperate to be loved. And he wanted to be the one to love her.

So what if he was at the bottom of the food chain and she was sat at the top! He would win her affections one way or another.

Mai burst out laughing. "Get real kiddo, you got no chance. How old are you? I bet you're still in high school."

"I'm seventeen," he lied. Although he was quite tall and streetwise which made him look older, he was still sixteen. She had no reason to suspect he was not yet seventeen.

"What makes you think I would date a boy three years my junior?" Her voice was flirtatious which was encouraging him.

"Ain't it supposed to be fashionable for rich women to have toy boys?" He smirked.

She approached him with a smirk of her own. Thrusting a small card in his hand she steered him towards the door. "I suggest you leave now Jonouchi."

"Okay, smell ya later." He left her office and almost skipped down the corridor back to his two friends. The card she had slipped him was her business card. On the back she had scribbled her private number.

Atem and Otogi were just about to send out a search party when Jonouchi came back grinning. He waved the card Mai had given him under Atem's nose.

"What's that?!" Atem snatched it from him. "Where'd you get this? It's Mai's business card!"

"And guess what that is on the back?"

Atem shot him an incredulous look. "Why you...lucky bastard."

Jonouchi nodded and taunted Atem with his victory. "Looks like I'm gonna win our little bet." He figured he would need the cash if he were to take Mai out.

"You haven't won yet Jonouchi. You have to get through a night out with her first." Atem doubted Jonouchi would last five minutes in the sort of place Mai would want to go, let alone afford it!

::::::::::::

Thanks to his father going on a bender, blowing all their cash and getting locked up, Jonouchi was broke. There was no way he could take Mai on a date with no money. It wasn't until a month later, after Atem felt sorry for him and agreed to pay the 20'000 Yen in advance, that he was able to call her.

Stuck in a boring meeting with her accountant, Mai yawned. "Yeah, yeah, so sell my yacht, I don't use it much anyway." The accountant had been concerned that she was spending more money than she had coming in. She needed to make some cut backs.

While he was running through the figures, her mind wandered off to the blonde boy who had burst into her office and saved her. It had been over a month, why hadn't he called? Most men were desperate for her to go out with them!

Suddenly, her phone started ringing. Mai's accountant looked at her with a mixture of irritation and amusement as an old Tina Turner song called Simply the Best played, while her phone vibrated madly from its position on the highly polished wood of the conference table. Usually, Mai would have ignored unknown numbers, but something in her gut told her that it was _HIM!_

Snatching the phone from the desk, she answered it and mentally slapped herself for sounding too enthusiastic. That was just so not her style.

"Hey! Am I talking to Mai Kujaku?" A cheerful male voice spoke and Mai felt her heart jump in her chest.

 _Get a grip, what is wrong with me?_ "Speaking." She tried to sound nonchalant but in her heart she knew she sounded like a silly teenage girl.

She found herself agreeing to meet him at one o'clock, Saturday afternoon in front of the clock tower in Domino Square. Something that she found horrifying and yet strangely exciting. She had never behaved like an ordinary teenager and wasn't sure she knew how. "What should I wear?" She said dumbly.

"Just come casual. Wear something that is comfortable, we won't be going anywhere fancy. I want us to have fun and I don't want you wearing them shoes what give you blisters!" His reply made her chuckle, but also left her full of anticipation and just a hint of dread. She was intrigued and couldn't resist the opportunity to do something different for a change. She was sick of the high flying guys, who either had inherited money but had no personality or brains, or had struck it rich, drove fast cars and had big egos to match. They bored her to death with the way they all saw her as a wealthy trophy to parade in front of their friends, or business rivals they were desperate to impress.

::::::::::::

Standing under the clock tower, Jonouchi was starting to get worried that she was not going to turn up! It was five past one and there was no sign of her. Disappointment was starting to creep into him.

Mai always made a point of being five minutes late. She liked people to be waiting for her when she made her grand entrance. "Drop me here," she ordered her chauffeur. "I will call you if I need you to rescue me." She got out of the sleek white Rolls Royce and started walking towards the square. She could just make out the figure of Jonouchi with his tousled, straw blond mop of hair, dressed casually in light blue jeans, white and blue tee shirt and a pair of Nike runners.

 _I will give her five more minutes._ He nervously shuffled from foot to foot, deciding that she had probably stood him up, when he spotted a large white vehicle stop across from the square. His heart missed a beat when Mai got out and started walking towards him. She was wearing cream coloured skinny jeans, a low cut blouse and a short dark grey denim jacket with the sleeves rolled up. He didn't wish to be accused of leering at her figure so as she approached, his gaze went to her feet and he smiled when he noticed that she had heeded his advice to wear comfortable footwear. She was wearing a pair of mint green Nike Free, Bling Trainers.

He looked back up at her and concentrated on looking into her eyes and _not_ her breasts, just as Anzu had instructed him. "Hey! You made it," he beamed, relived that she had not stood him up.

"Of course. Where are we going. I wore sensible shoes as you suggested." She had seen him look at her feet.

"Yeah," he chuckled, "I was just noticing you got cool shoes. We're a matching couple, mine are Nike too." Only he guessed his were probably half the price of hers! "Have you been to that new theme park, Kaibaland?"

"Erm, no." She had of course heard of the new theme park, which had recently re-opened after an extensive re-development. Apparently, it had received excellent reviews. She also knew of the egotistical CEO, Seto Kaiba from corporate functions. The man's background was a bit of a mystery. He had ousted the former CEO in the most bizarre circumstances. All sorts of rumours had been circulating about murder. Although the official investigation had reported suicide, Mai had always wondered if it was a cover up.

"Cool, how about we go there then?" He grinned.

 _What the heck!_ "Yes, okay," Mai agreed. Who knows, she might even enjoy herself.

They had a great afternoon. Jonouchi had scraped together enough money to by VIP passes, so that they would not have to queue for any of the rides.

Mai had not had this much fun in her entire life. Her hair was all messed up and her make up smudged from being thrown about on the roller coaster and dunked on the water flume, but for once, she did not care. She found that being around this fun loving boy, she could just be herself, no false pretences, no one trying to find weaknesses or out smart her and it was extremely liberating.

She giggled as Jonouchi tore off a big lump from the stick of candy floss they had bought to share and popped it into her mouth. Some of it went on her face and made her chin all sticky so she wiped it off on her sleeve and burst out laughing at the look Jonouchi gave her. "What?!"

"I love the way you just wiped it off on your sleeve," he chuckled.

She just shrugged. "So, that's what sleeves are for, aren't they? Anyway, I have a cleaner to do my laundry so why worry."

"Yeah, that's my kind a girl!" They both burst out laughing.

Because it was late in the season, the park closed at six. It was starting to get cold so Jonouchi decided to take her to another of their favourite hang outs. "Have you ever been to Burger World Mai?" He knew that Anzu was not doing a shift there this evening, so it was safe to go. As far as he knew, she was hanging out with Yugi.

"No, I have never been to a burger bar," she confirmed. Of course she had eaten burgers at barbecue parties, but they had been made with expensive cuts of prime steak and served on china plates. Not the kind of soggy patties in cardboard packets that you ate while sitting on a cheap plastic chair. She had some reservations about going into Burger World and it showed on her face.

"It's okay Mai, it won't be as awful as you think. Promise!"

"I will take your word for it. Lead the way kiddo!" She steeled herself for what she was about to endure.

He opened the door and stepped inside, holding it open for her to follow. Mai was pleasantly surprised, it was nowhere near as bad as she expected. It was very clean and quite nicely decorated. The seating was not as cheap and nasty as she thought it would be either.

A young waitress bowed and told them to follow her to be seated. Just as they were about to sit down, Jonouchi spotted a group of familiar faces all looking at him and Mai, with expressions ranging from intrigued to amused.

"Jonouchi! What are you doing here?! Come and join us?" He felt sure Mai would want to leave when Anzu stood up and waved.

"Erm.." He looked nervously at Mai.

"We would love to join you. I'm Mai by the way." She grabbed Jonouchi's arm and dragged him over to the table.

Squeeze up guys," Mana said shuffling closer to Atem. "I'm Mana by the way," she grinned reaching her hand out. Mai wasn't too sure if she should shake hands with this girl or not, but she seemed likeable so she obliged.

"Fist bump!" Mana giggled at the last minute, taking Mai by surprise. But Mai laughed anyway and bumped her fist against Mana's. It had extinguished any awkwardness that might exist, and while Mai didn't feel that she fully belonged in their group, they did their best to make her feel at ease.

Jonouchi was feeling really happy and starting to believe that he and Mai might just work.

* * *

 **Their lives will start to be a little less fun in two - three chapters as hell breaks loose - literally!**

 **Please review.**


	15. Chapter 15

As a side note - Out of curiosity, I checked to see the age that you can learn to drive in Japan. It turned out to be 18. Because of this, I have put in a few time skips!

Thank you to everyone who has favoured, followed and reviewed this story.

Usual Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.

* * *

Broken Dreams

Chapter 15. Lifestyle Changes.

Sadly, Jonouchi's hopes of developing a relationship with Mai were quickly dashed.

When her limousine arrived to take her home, Mai offered him a lift back to his apartment, which he declined – There was no way he could let her see where he lived! She seemed to take this as a slight re-buff and shrugged.

"Suit yourself." She climbed into the car.

"Can I see you again?" He asked hopefully.

"I don't know, I had planned to spend the rest of winter in Europe," she said truthfully. "And I'm not sure we would really work. It was fun meeting you kiddo? " She winked, rolled the window up and the limo drove off, leaving Jonouchi standing there, confused.

Inside her limo, Mai cursed herself. Why did she just brush him off like that? Deep down she knew why, but was still not ready to face her inner demons. He would be better off with a girl his own age; one without any psychological baggage.

"What the heck was that all about dude?" Honda came up beside him, to offer some comfort.

"Dunno. I... I thought we were getting on fine." He tried to hide the small tear that pricked the corner of his eye.

"It's for the best Jonouchi. She's a..." Atem tried to think of a polite word for her "- a jet setter. I did warn you." He clasped Jonouchi's shoulder.

"Yeah," Jonouchi sniffed. "Thanks Yami, you're right." He suddenly perked up a little. "But at least I won our bet!"

"What bet?!" Mana gave her boyfriend a stern look. "Have you been placing bets on getting dates with girls?!"

"No...!"

"Prince?!" Mana gave him her sternest, don't lie to me look.

"Well... just the one. It's not something we usually do!" Atem sheepishly defended.

"Disgraceful. You guys deserve to get dumped!" Anzu scolded. "It's a good job Mai didn't find out or you guys would be fish food." She turned to Yugi. "I hope you weren't in on it too?!"

"No! No! I knew nothing.. honest!" Yugi held his hands up defensively.

"It wasn't like that Anzu," Jonouchi looked at Anzu solemnly and spoke with a serious tone, making her feel guilty about snapping at them. "I really liked her... The bet between me and Yami doesn't change that."

::::::::::::

Even though many months had now passed by, Jonouchi still could not forget Mai.

He had heard nothing from her and he found it really hard to understand why, because she had genuinely seemed to enjoy their date.

Every time he tried her mobile number, it went straight to voice mail. But even though he asked her to call back, she never did. A few weeks later, the number was taken out of service.

He went into the club and tried to find out if anyone knew where she was, but all that he had been told was that she was overseas. That certainly didn't narrow it down much!

In her absence, she had appointed a manager to run the club. Even Atem and Otogi had tried to get hold of Mai's contact details for him, but had been told that any matters could be addressed to the staff. Otogi did find out that she had lost her phone while water skiing! And now had a new phone – but even Otogi's charm couldn't prise the new phone number out of the manager. "If she wanted to talk to your friend, she would have replied to the voice mail," the woman had told Otogi tersely.

Jonouchi was sitting in Burger World with Yugi, Atem, Mana and Honda. Anzu and Miho were both working their shift at the popular hangout.

The two girls were on their fifteen minute break and sat down with their mugs of coffee to chat with their friends. "Why are you so glum Jonouchi?" Anzu enquired.

He didn't answer, but Honda jumped in for him. "He's finally accepted that Mai is too good for him. Haven't ya buddy?" He nudged his friend playfully.

"Knock it off will ya!" Jonouchi punched Honda in the side. "I didn't say I had given up on her!"

"Well, whatever. I think you would be wise to move on Jonouchi," Anzu told him. "Her attitude sucks. Just because she is from a rich family doesn't mean she is better than everyone else. Yami is going to be rich and famous but he doesn't behave like a prima donna." Footballers were well known for having big egos!

"Yet.." Yugi interjected., sniggering at his brother and earning himself a prod in the side.

"I will keep him grounded," Mana laughed. The friends all nodded their agreement.

"Anyway," Jonouchi smiled, "I'm gonna go see my little sister during the spring break. She wants to come here to live but I don't want her to see the dump me and Dad are living in..."

"Sister?! I didn't know you had a sister Jonouchi!" Yugi was surprised that Jonouchi had never mentioned her before.

"Yeah, well when Mum and Dad split up, Mum moved away with my sister and left me with my drunken Dad. I ain't never forgiven her for leaving and haven't seen them since I was ten. Me and my Sis have been talking on skype. She has been trying to get me to patch things up with Mum."

"How old is your sister?" Honda's interest was piqued at hearing about Jonouchi's sister.

"She is fifteen and out of bounds to you," Jonouchi growled threateningly.

"Well, I look forward to meeting her if she comes back with you. What's her name Jonouchi?" Anzu liked the idea of having another female friend in their group.

"Shizuka. She's a real sweet girl," Jonouchi smiled wistfully.

"Nothing like you then," Honda teased.

"Nah, she ain't nothing like me."

"Well, I hope things go really well with your Mum and Shizuka," Anzu said genuinely.

"Where will Shizuka stay if she comes back with you?" Yugi wanted to know.

"I ain't figured that out yet. I might be staying up there for a couple of months while I sort things out."

"What about school?!" Yugi was shocked. Jonouchi was not the best student as it was. Missing school might get him thrown out.

"It's okay, Shizuka starts high school in April, so I have enrolled at the same school for the time being. I plan to be back in a few months. Hopefully, I can sort out somewhere to live in the meantime."

"Well, we have a spare guest room," Anzu offered. "I am sure my parents won't mind her staying with us."

"Thanks Anzu. I might take you up on that... if it's no trouble." Jonouchi was grateful for having such good friends.

::::::::::::

Three months later:

This was a disaster! How could something like this be happening? Mai had been called back from a convention in Paris by her father for an urgent board meeting. Apparently there had been a hostile take over bid after stocks had started plummeting.

Wearing a businesslike navy skirt, with a matching fitted blazer and cream coloured blouse – with the buttons open to reveal just enough cleavage without being slutty, Mai waltzed into the boardroom of the offices situated at the Domino stadium.

Her father and the other directors, plus the chief accountant were already seated, and her father nodded to her and gestured from his seat at the head of the table, for her to sit down in her seat, to the right of him.

"What's this all about?" She said frostily.

"While we were all resting on our laurels, a man named Seto Kaiba has been busy buying up shares and has launched a takeover bid!" Her father informed her.

"Hmph.. How could we let that happen?" She glared at the accountant, who averted his eyes nervously. "We should have been informed that someone was trying to buy up stocks."

"Unfortunately, the person responsible used subsidiary companies to obtain the shares. We did not realise until it was too late that KC Development, Holo Gaming Technology and Blue Dragon Investments were all part of Kaiba Corporation. It seems that Seto Kaiba now owns the majority of shares after buying out the majority of our shareholders," the accountant tried to explain.

They all went quiet when the door opened and Seto Kaiba walked in. Mai was struck by how tall and lean he was in his light blue suit, white shirt and navy blue tie with matching navy shoes. His facial muscles were pulled taught and his eyes were icy and cold. However, she still found him strangely attractive which annoyed her.

He was accompanied by a young boy of no more than thirteen, with shaggy, thick black hair, dressed in an overly large dark blue suit with a stripy sweat top underneath, and carrying a heavy looking metal briefcase. Mai was struck by the look of adoration and pride in the young boy's eyes when he looked up at his older, much taller brother.

The boy placed the briefcase down next to Seto Kaiba's chair. "Thank you Mokuba. You may leave us."

"But big brother!" Keen to learn, he wanted to be in on the meeting.

Seto Kaiba's face remained fixed. "I would rather you waited outside." He was still keen to protect Mokuba from the harsh realities of corporate business as much as possible, because he did not want him to end up cold and hardened like he had become. As far as he was concerned, he worked so that Mokuba could enjoy a good life.

Feeling sorry for the boy, Mai decided to speak. "Let him stay! I am quite sure he will not interfere, will you Mokuba?"

"No, I promise not to get in the way... Thank you Miss." The boy grinned at her and then looked back up at his brother, with pleading eyes.

Seto Kaiba sighed. _That annoying woman._ "Very well Mokuba. Sit over there in that corner and just observe. I guess it won't hurt for you to learn how brutal business can be." He sat down and introduced himself.

By the end of the meeting, Mai was livid. Not only had Seto Kaiba gained 58% of the company, he had also sacked all the directors – her included! To make things worse, her father had accepted a deal to sell the majority of his remaining shares to Kaiba, just so that he could still be on the board of directors at the football club. His excuse! _I'm getting too old for all this anyway, it's about time I started relaxing more._ What about her? She was almost twenty one and had just had her wealth and her life pulled out from under her!

Kaiba offered her a compromise. "If you wish to remain part of _my_ company, I am prepared to offer you the chance to continue on here, in the role of Gym and Health Spa Manager. But I will be implementing some changes to improve profits and efficiency. I have observed far too many members of staff doing very little. This idle behaviour will not be allowed to continue."

Mai drummed her pen on the table and seethed. Seto Kaiba noticed her seething and smirked.

Mai tried to argue that her staff were happy in their work because they were treated like human beings and not as resources, but if fell on deaf ears. In the end she was forced to shut up and accept Seto Kaiba's terms or be out of work and unable to make ends meet!

Being forced to accept the lowly role of Gym and Spa Manager meant long hours and rubbish pay. She could no longer come and go as she pleased and would be expected to work alongside the other managers and the staff. There was no way she would be able to afford her current lifestyle. The sports car would have to go in favour of a cheaper, more economic one. The luxury apartment was also costly, so she would have to find a tenant for the spare room, or put it on the market and buy a smaller apartment.

::::::::::::

The twins had recently turned eighteen and Atem was on a high. He had made it onto the first team and was now earning a regular salary. He had also just signed a lucrative sponsorship deal with Mizuno.

As soon as he had turned eighteen, he wasted no time in taking his driving test and passed first time.

He and Yugi were sitting at the breakfast table browsing through brochures for sports cars.

His grandfather tutted. "You should invest the money wisely and not waste it on lavish things you don't really need."

"Grandpa! I have agreed to stay on and graduate high school! Can't I at least have my dream car?!"

"You have only just passed your driving test Atem, it would be far more sensible to buy a small, cheap car to start with." Hana was worried about him driving such a powerful sports car when he was still an inexperienced driver!

"I promise to think about it carefully before I buy, Mum! And you can trust me to drive sensibly if I do go for one of these cars."

However, when he arrived at the club for training, his heart skipped a beat when he spotted Mai's Nissan (Fairlady) 370Z in the car park with a 'For Sale' sign in the windscreen. A big smirk crossed his features as he remembered telling her he wanted that car, two years ago! Since she didn't drive it very often and kept it garaged, it had very low mileage and was still in excellent condition. His mind was instantly made up!

That afternoon, he found himself driving home in his new car.

"Wow! Take me for a spin?" Yugi leaped into the passenger seat. "How fast does it go?"

"Very fast... And since when have you ever been interested in cars?"

"Since now. Can I have a go at driving it?"

"No. You haven't passed your test yet."

"Please..."

"No!"

Sugoroku was sweeping the front step, when he spotted Atem's car pull onto the driveway beside the shop with Yugi driving. He shook his head angrily. Had those boys no sense? Yami had only just passed his test and Yugi had not even started taking driving lessons! He was not insured to drive it and they had no learner plates on the car either.

While the pair were receiving a telling off, Jonouchi turned up with his sister Shizuka, who had just come back to Domino with him and was keen to meet his friends. "Wow! Nice wheels Yami. Where did you get... Hey! Isn't that Mai's car!" He still had an image of her in that car, dropping Atem off that day!

"Not any more. She had to sell it, so it's mine now," Atem grinned.

"Oh...!" Jonouchi scratched his head in thought. _Why would Mai have to sell her car?_ News had not reached him that she was no longer as wealthy as she had been.

"Who is this lovely young lady? Surely she can't be related to you Jonouchi!" Sugoroku teased, grinning like a schoolboy!.

"Grandpa!" Yugi was embarrassed by his grandfather's comment.

"That's why I'm here Gramps. I wanted you all to meet my sister Shizuka." The three Mutous introduced themselves.

"Who wants to come in for some tea?" Sugoroku offered.

While they were drinking their tea, Atem explained to Jonouchi about Kaiba Corporation taking over Kujaku Enterprises. He admitted that he was excited about Domino FC being under new ownership because Seto Kaiba was investing more money in the club and players. Apparently, he had plans to make the club the biggest and most successful team in Asia.

Jonouchi was a little annoyed that Atem seemed so relaxed and happy about the changes. While he wanted to agree that it would be good for his friend's own career, he was worried about Mai. "But what about Mai, what is she going to do?"

"She has accepted a job as manager of the Gym and Spa. But she is just an ordinary employee now so she is having to make some sacrifices. Hence me buying the car," he explained.

"That's terrible. Poor woman, she must be devastated." Shizuka was full of empathy for someone she had never met.

"Yeah, I should go and see her." Jonouchi hoped that she would accept his offer of support and friendship.

"Why would you want to see her when she clearly isn't interested in you?" Sugoroku had a point.

"Because Gramps, she needs a friend at a time like this."

"You would need to be tactful Jonouchi. You don't want her thinking you are rubbing her nose in it about being poor," Yugi advised.

"Don't worry about it Yuge. Tactful is my middle name!" Yugi, Atem and Sugoroku all sniggered and groaned, while Shizuka smiled proudly at her brother.

::::::::::::

When Mai answered the door to her apartment, Jonouchi could not help but notice she had been crying. She also smelt of alcohol. "What do you want? Come to gloat?!"

She was about to slam the door but Jonouchi had his foot wedged between the frame and door.

"Hold up Mai! This is my sister Shizuka. We came to see how you are. Atem just told me about the takeover. If its any help, I think Kaiba's a jerk." He raised his eyebrows in a pleading gesture. "So you gonna let us in? My kid sis is dying ta meet you."

Mai grunted and let the door swing open. "I guess we might as well get my complete and utter humiliation over with." She turned her back on them and slouched back into the sitting room and flopped down on the large cream leather sofa. Jonouchi noticed the half drunk bottle of wine on the coffee table.

"You know, drinking that stuff ain't the solution. I should know, I grew up with a father who thought it was."

"Your point being?" Mai glared at him. "Because right now, I don't give a shit if I don't even wake up tomorrow."

"But I care! What happened to that strong, confident, proud woman I first met? So what if you have lost all your money. You are still young and healthy, and you got me!"

"And Me!" Shizuka spoke up.

Mai gave her an amused look. "You don't even know me honey. If you did, I'm sure you would not be so keen for us to be friends. Did your brother tell you I ditched him after our date, and didn't even have the decency to return his calls?"

"N.. No!" Shizuka gasped and looked from Mai to her brother for any sign of what to say next.

"Water under the bridge," Jonouchi dismissed it. "How about I make us all some coffee?" Getting up, he walked into the large open plan kitchen area. When he approached the espresso machine he stopped and scratched his head. "How da hell you drive this thing?!"

"Let me do it? Mum has one of these at home." Shizuka started making the coffee, while Jonouchi went back over to Mai, who was just about to pour herself another glass of wine. He snatched away the bottle.

"I think you've had enough. I'm not gonna let you drink your self stupid over money worries."

"It's not just about the money," Mai spat angrily. "You don't know how it feels to have your whole life ripped away from you, leaving you with nothing? I have worked out my finances and I'm probably going to have to sell this place." She was beyond bitter. Even though she had not been around for several months, she still loved this apartment and had decorated it with the most expensive fittings. It was her sanctuary.

"I know exactly how you feel Mai. I lived in a nice house up the coast from Tokyo, overlooking the sea. Dad had a great job, Mum worked part time as a teacher. Then when I was ten, Dad lost his job and had an affair. Mum also found out he had gambled away all our savings. He started drinking heavily, so she left and took Shizuka with her, leaving me with Dad. The house got repossessed and we ended up in a shit hole apartment in the worst part of Domino. My Dad spends his days drinking and gambling away any money we do get." Mai looked at him in shock.

"I.. I didn't know.."

"Yeah, well I don't go round broadcasting it. Even my friends don't know half of it. I have stolen, begged, got beaten up while trawling supermarket dustbins for food. I even learned to survive in a world of violent, drug dealing gangs. It wasn't until I nearly went to prison that I pulled my self back on track. With the help of my friends I turned things round. So don't tell me you have it bad. You got a job and you still have all your business contacts, I'm sure you will survive. If you want to keep this place why don't you take in a lodger?"

In the background, Shizuka was listening to what he was saying with a look of horror and sadness. She had no idea what her big brother had been through. "Katsuya! Why didn't you run away and find Mum?"

"Because I had no idea where Mum had taken you! When I finally found out where you were, I was already in a gang and I didn't want you to know how bad I was. I was also angry at Mum for leaving and not taking me with her. I thought she hated me."

"She never hated you Katsuya. She wanted to come back for you, but she was too afraid of Dad. Then, over the years she met someone nice, re-built her life and for some reason she just left it. I never thought to ask why." Shizuka started to cry.

"Hey sweetheart." Mai got up to comfort the girl. "Don't cry?! You and your brother are together now. And as for me! I'm just feeling sorry for myself. I will get over it, I usually do." She suddenly felt selfish and spoilt for wallowing in her own self pity, when there were people far worse off than her.

"Hey, Mai. Now we all got the sob stories over, how about we order some pizza and watch a movie on that giant TV of yours?" He pointed at the huge flat screen on the wall.

Mai brightened up a little. "Yeah, okay. I don't think my Netflix subscription has been cancelled yet!" She joked. Maybe things would turn out not to be so bad after all.

Later that evening, as Jonouchi and Shizuka went to leave, Mai stopped them. "Look, I have been thinking about what you said. A lodger sounds like a good solution and if you want to get away from your rat infested apartment, why not move in here?"

"Ooh! Jonouchi! Can we?" Shizuka jumped up and down excitedly.

Jonouchi scratched his head. "I will have to think about it," he teased, turning away. "Okay, I thought about and and you're on." Jonouchi knew it would be tight. He was already juggling two jobs and the money their mother was sending to Shizuka each month was not much. But if he made a clean break from his father, he would no longer have to keep subsidising his boozy lifestyle. So it was doable.

His father probably wouldn't even notice or even care that he had gone!

Mai smiled at his level of maturity. So what if he still had several months to go until he graduated high school. The age gap between her and Jonouchi didn't seem quite so obvious all of a sudden and his little sister was a real sweetie. She had always wanted a little sister to keep her company. Growing up an only child, with a father who worked all the time and a mother who didn't really want children to begin with had been tough.

Maybe things were not looking as bad as she thought.

::::::::::::

In the time they had been in Japan, Ishizu had become quite settled. She had been made deputy head of the History and Archaeology department at the university, and was in charge of the new Ancient Egyptian Archaeology course. It was only in its first year, but already, twenty students had signed up to study it as their main course. And the lectures were often attended by many more students interested in knowing about the country she loved so much.

At first, Mahado had not been too settled, but since he had also gained employment at the university as a student counsellor, he had been much happier. Ishizu felt relieved that he now had something that made him feel useful!

They had also had plenty of time to get to know the Mutou family much better, and she had become really fond of Atem and Yugi.

Now that she knew them as people and not just tools in the fight against evil, she understood why Sugoroku had wanted them to live normal lives and not be bogged down with their destiny. They were teenagers with hopes and dreams for their futures.

Atem and Mana were also dating seriously and Atem's career as a footballer was really starting to take off. She no longer had the heart to tell him that his promising future might not be possible. It broke her heart to think that if history repeated itself, he might be forced to give up his life and once again leave Mana broken hearted.

Of course, neither teen had any idea of what had happened all those millennia ago. Even Ishizu was unsure of the exact truth because certain details had been either lost or twisted slightly as they were passed down through the generations. All she knew, was that the young Pharaoh and been forced to give up his life to defeat a creature from the shadows in order to save his kingdom, Mahado's ancestor had been a priest, who had died in the build up to the final battle, as had the Pharaoh's brother.

If Yugi represented that brother, Mahado represented the priest and Atem the Pharaoh then Ishizu, Mana and Anzu could lose the men they loved.

There were no records existing to say what became of the trainee priestess Mana! Her ancestors Ka certainly survived and now existed happily in the realm of spirits, but when it arrived there was not known!

Ishizu did well to hide her fears and worries; it was something she had been taught to do from a young age. But it didn't make it any easier. Every time she saw Atem or Yugi, she was reminded that, like their ancestors, they might face a violent end; not living to see their twentieth birthday.

Mahado could see through her facade though. He came up behind her as she sat on the stool brushing her hair before going to bed. "You know! We might all survive this time! There is no written law that says history will repeat itself exactly." He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck.

"How can you be so dismissive Mahado? The princes have no idea of who they are! We have not even prepared them for what they might face!"

"Are any of us prepared?! We don't even know how the threat will arise! So what do we tell them? Oh! By the way, you are the offspring of a long dead Pharaoh and there is a prophecy that states you will have to face a monster that will destroy the world, unless you defeat it! They would just think we are loonies or something."

"Are you not afraid?" She swivelled round on her stool to face him.

"Afraid of what? That I might die in the battle... again? I might die crossing the road tomorrow! I can assure you I have no intention of losing my life crossing the road, or in some battle. Now how about you come to bed?" He added seductively.

"Now that does sound like a good idea." She wrapped her arms around him and he pulled her to her feet, leading her over to the bed.

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 **Next update will be on Thursday.**

 **Please review.**


	16. Chapter 16

Some adult content, but nothing graphic. I also do not own Yugioh.

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Broken Dreams

Chapter 16. Questions.

The Millennium Tauk had been rather quiet lately. Everyone seemed to have relaxed into their comfortable routines and it all seemed to be going rather well; maybe too well in Ishizu's opinion. She could not help worrying that they were all becoming complacent. The threat of evil was showing no signs of rising today, tomorrow, or even the next day and this was gnawing at Ishizu. At least some sort of sign would have been helpful.

She had been a little irritated with Mahado when he suggested that the so called prophecy had all been an elaborate hoax to stop the tomb keeper sect from disbanding. Maybe Hana Mutou had just drunk too much that night and had a reckless one night stand! Concocting the story of a dream man so that her father would not be furious with her for getting pregnant! After all, she had seen the drawings and carvings of the young Pharaoh Atem, and Sugoroku had also been filling her head with the stories surrounding him! Maybe Atem and Yugi were just ordinary teenagers after all!

All this had made Ishizu start to doubt herself and the Tauk: Maybe that was why the Tauk was no longer working – it detected her doubt.

She sighed and picked up another glass from the draining board and deftly dried it, before placing it in the cupboard.

Growing up in an isolated community, hidden away in the desert, miles away from life in a twenty first century city, had not really prepared her for life in modern day Japan. People here lived for technology and hardly ever sat still long enough to ponder the ancient past. Of course, they all loved monsters and mythical creatures, but they were all depicted in computer games and strange books that were called manga! Even Mana had started to become hooked!

Ishizu sighed and smiled to herself. She was only twenty five, but she felt far too old for this modern world!

The doorbell rang and she knew who was at the door. "Mana! Are you ready? Atem is here.." She called up the stairs, before answering the door to the young man.

"I'm almost ready, tell him to wait – I won't be long," Mana shouted from her room.

"Okay!" Atem called back, as he stepped inside, wearing his smart new tuxedo.

He was taking Mana to a private function organised by the Japanese football association. Apparently, he had been nominated for an award. Secretly, he was confident but because he didn't want to appear too arrogant, he kept his confidence to himself.

"You do look smart Atem." Ishizu showed him to the kitchen. "I hope you two have a lovely evening. Mana tells me you are going to win a prize, is that right?"

"I have been nominated for best young footballer of the year," he chuckled. "There are several nominees. I'm not expecting to win," he said modestly.

Unexpectedly, the Tauk started to glow and Ishizu suddenly felt a stabbing pain in her chest. Gasping, she bent over and grabbed onto the chair for support, but it tipped up and she started to fall.

"Ishizu!" Atem moved quickly and grabbed her before she hit the ground and hurt herself. "Are you okay, what's wrong?" Helping her to sit down, he startled slightly when he saw the Tauk glowing and felt it emitting a strange dark aura.

She looked up at him with a look of fear and then her eyes then rolled up into her head, making him step back in alarm.

Jumbled visions swam before her eyes: The first showed Atem collecting his prize for best young footballer. The second saw him bent over in pain; unshaven and shirtless, in what looked like a tatty apartment. He was also bleeding from a cut to his arm. When he stood up straight, his eyes were not the usual intensely deep plumb/amethyst, but a dangerous crimson. The scene shifted again and he appeared to be in another room arguing with Seto Kaiba. He was wearing a lot of denim and leather and looked like the leader of a biker gang! Anzu Mazaki was there too, looking like a biker chick and had her arms draped around him as she smiled mockingly at Kaiba.

"Ishizu! What's wrong?" Atem's voice was laced with fear. Was she having an epileptic seizure? No one had said anything to him about Ishizu suffering from epilepsy – but people were often embarrassed about others knowing they had seizures. Her eyes had suddenly rolled up into her head and he feared that if she started thrashing about, being sat on a wooden dining chair would not be the best thing! He needed to place her somewhere comfortable and safe.

But as he stepped forward to help, her eyes suddenly fixed on him again, and when he touched her shoulder she let out a scream causing him to leap back.

Mana had been gliding down the stairs in her evening gown, trying to look as dainty and ladylike as she possibly could when she heard Ishizu scream. She nearly tripped over the end of her dress as she flew to the kitchen to find Atem standing in front of Ishizu, pulling at his hair and almost hyperventilating. "Ishizu! I'm sorry. I wasn't going to do anything. I just want to help you. What's wrong? I don't understand," he gasped out. Why had she screamed at him as though he were attacking her?

Mana ran over and put an arm around him and it seemed to calm him.

"Ishizu had some sort of fit. I just wanted to help," he said in a small, shaky voice.

"It was just a vision, Ishizu gets them sometimes. She will be fine in a moment." Mana forgot she was not supposed to say anything about the visions.

"Visions?!" Atem looked back and forward between the two women.

Ishizu was still sitting in the chair, holding onto the table for support. Her face was pale and she had beads of sweat on her face. "I... I'm sorry if I frightened you by screaming. I.. I think I am getting a migraine. They come on suddenly and I see things that aren't there and everything looks distorted. We call them my visions," she laughed thinly. "It looked like there were two of you and it unnerved me. I didn't mean to scream."

"That's okay. I understand." Atem re-composed himself and flattened down the creases of his trousers with his hands.

"Anyway, you both look stunning. Please don't let my little turn ruin your evening." Ishizu tried to stand but her legs were not ready to move.

"Will you be okay on your own?" Atem enquired, concerned.

"Yes, Mahado will be home very soon. I will go and have a little lie down. Now go!"

"Come on Prince, Ishizu will be fine..." Mana grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the door.

"Are you sure Ishizu?" He asked hesitantly.

"Yes! I am fine. Go, or you will be late!" Ishizu ordered assertively.

"Okay..." He felt awkward as he followed Mana.

Just as Mana was about to open the front door, he stopped her and turned her to face him. "I am so sorry, but with what just happened... I...I didn't tell you how breathtakingly beautiful you look Mana." Their evening was not getting off to the best start.

"Oh, Prince... it doesn't matter. I also forgot to tell you how handsome you look!" She giggled and did a little twirl. Her deep morello cherry silk dress, with its tiny hints of gold thread shimmered around her. Atem noticed how her wild thick hair, which had been styled professionally at the salon that afternoon, appeared silky as it swooshed with her movement. Around her neck was the gold necklace, with a ruby in the centre, which had once belonged to her mother. She carried a gold clutch bag and wore matching gold stilettos. Atem felt sure that she would be the most beautiful woman there this evening.

Mana stopped twirling and smiled when she saw his facial muscles relax a little.

Trying to put aside what had just happened with Ishizu, he lead her out to his car.

However, during the fifty minute drive to the conference centre in Tokyo, his mind kept wandering back to what had happened. He was convinced it had something to do with that necklace thing Ishizu wore. When it started glowing, he had felt some sort of power or an aura. It seemed familiar somehow, but he knew he had never come across anything like it before! He seldom showed his fear, but it had definitely unnerved him. Was Ishizu everything she claimed to be? He was starting to worry about Yugi. His brother had been spending a lot of time helping at the museum. Yugi had been very impressed by Ishizu's knowledge of Ancient Egypt, and was so determined to get into university to study in her class that he had even started working harder at school! Something Atem never thought he would see. Was it possible that she was brainwashing Yugi with her beliefs? No, that was silly, Yugi seemed perfectly normal and happy.

In desperate need of some clarity, he suddenly pulled off the highway onto a garage forecourt and stopped. Switching the engine off, he turned to Mana. "What's going on?"

"What?"

"With Ishizu. That was no ordinary migraine. That thing round her neck! It glowed and I felt something come from it. I think Ishizu saw something. What was it?"

"I don't know what she saw," Mana said quietly. "Please don't get angry with me, but I'm not really allowed to say anything."

"I'm sorry! I'm not angry with you, I just need to know." He reached over and gently tilted her chin so that her gaze met his. "Please... tell me the truth about Ishizu? I promise that whatever you say will stay between us." He flashed her with puppy dog eyes.

"Prince! Please don't ask me to..." she pleaded.

"Does it involve me and Yugi? Is that why your family came to Japan?" Mana was shocked how insightful he was. "We're not going anywhere until you at least tell me something!" There was an awkward silence as Mana closed her eyes and sighed.

"Promise you won't breathe a word about what I tell you?"

"Promise," he nodded and gave her his word.

"Ishizu, my brother and myself are descended from a long line of tomb keepers. In the old days, tomb keepers were hired to guard the tombs of the deceased Pharaoh from robbers, but many of them were unreliable or unable to fulfil what was asked of them. Our ancestors served the Pharaoh Aknamkanon and later his son Atem. After Atem died, the Millennium items – That is what the Tauk that Ishizu wears is called – were entrusted to the tomb keepers, to be kept safe. Mahado inherited the Ring, but he doesn't wear it often, as it tends to attract attention. They try not to tell me anything but I pick up bits here and there. Ishizu's family has been waiting for the chosen Pharaoh to return and save the world from destruction. She thinks that you and Yugi might be his sons."

"Woah, slow down a minute. She thinks Yugi and I are the sons of a Pharaoh, who just happens to be called Atem, and who died thousands of years ago? That's crazy! Our dad died in a plane crash... If you're trying to tell me that some weird curse made a shrivelled mummy come back to life and... – he wrinkled his nose in disgust – made my mother pregnant, then I'm afraid you have been watching too many horror films."

"Not a curse, a prophecy. And if it's any help, I don't believe it either. Ishizu thinks that you and Yugi were born to lead the fight against some evil creature from the Shadow Realm, that is supposed to return. She even says my that my brother's ancestor was a priest who served the Pharaoh and that his ancestor sacrificed himself to protect his King! Even Mahado thinks that is a bit far fetched. I heard them arguing about it."

"Do they know when this.. monster is coming back?"

"No." Mana shook her head. "Ishizu has these scrolls which all say different things. Some even say it should have happened years ago! Some predict next year, others ten years. There are some drawings of the creature. It looks like it came from Doctor Who or Star Wars! If you ask me it's all crap! I don't want to believe that my Prince is going to have to deal with some dragon from hell!"

"Shit! Has she told Yugi any of this stuff?!"

"I don't think she has. Why?"

"No.. no reason. I just wondered, that's all." He felt even more confused. "You say it's crap Mana, but you and Mahado have magical abilities that cannot be explained!"

"It is common knowledge that many people once had this ability. But it has died out and those who carry the gene for it are unaware they have it. In Europe during the middle ages, witches and anyone suspected of having such abilities were tortured and killed. People were afraid and locked away their magic. Only a chosen few still know how to access it. My clan were cut off from the world for many millennia so our ability survived." Atem nodded and accepted that as a plausible explanation.

"Hmm, I'm sorry if I put you in an awkward spot." He reached over and squeezed her hand gently. "We should go now or we will be late." There was no way he would let this information ruin the evening.

He re-started the car and continued their journey. Both agreed that it was probably best they don't mention it again.

As promised Atem decided to keep this knowledge to himself for now. But since this prophecy involved Yugi as well, he knew there would come a time when he would have to share this information with him. His brother was much more inquisitive about such things than he. There were still more questions that needed answers and Yugi would be the best one to research it. But he didn't know if Yugi would be ready for such a revelation just yet – hell, he certainly wasn't ready himself - it was freaking him out!

Maybe he should discreetly investigate it himself, and try to make sense out of some of it before talking to Yugi.

After the pair had gone, Ishizu slowly pushed herself to her feet. She was still feeling slightly disorientated after the vision she had just seen. She needed something to calm her nerves.

Opening the fridge door, she reached for the bottle of chardonay sitting in the fridge. Her religion and culture frowned upon the consumption of alcohol. She still was not a big drinker, but since coming to Japan she had discovered that she quite enjoyed the odd glass of white wine with a meal, or to just relax of an evening while watching television – another evil her father would never have allowed!

Making her way to the sofa, she tried to make some sense of what she had seen. It had been disturbing to say the least! She had believed that Atem was the reincarnation of the Pharaoh and Yugi the Pharaoh's brother, but if what she had seen was to be believed, Atem appeared to be on the side of evil! And what of Anzu Mazaki and Seto Kaiba? Why were they there? And why did Anzu and Atem appear to be together?! It just didn't make sense because she knew how much Atem loved Mana and that Anzu loved Yugi.

Mahado found her just as she was finishing her second large glass. "Ishizu! Are you drunk?"

"So what if I am. Maybe I will see things more clearly," she sighed. "How can it be any worse than what this thing showed me earlier." She roughly flicked the Tauk before taking it off and flinging it across the coffee table. "I quit! I'm fed up with being the bearer of bad news!"

"What on earth are you on about?!" He sat down next to her.

He sat and listened calmly, while she told him about the vision. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke. "From my experience of working with the students and their problems, it would appear that life is far more complicated here than in the small village we grew up in. There are so many distractions and temptations placed in the way of young people. They have far too much choice and unlike our culture where we discourage promiscuity, many here have multiple relationships. I see a lot of students who are distressed because their partner is sleeping with someone else. It seems that some people care little for the heartbreak they cause and regularly swap partners! They also worry about their appearance and are tempted by gambling, drugs and alcohol. You work at the university, maybe the Tauk is sensing all this angst and is becoming confused, causing it to show you conflicted images."

"I don't think all the students are like that Mahado! You only see the few who are experiencing problems. Most of the young people are delightful. No, I think this may be a test for Atem to overcome. Either that, or it is not he who is the chosen one, but Yugi."

"Maybe," Mahado shrugged. "But I still think you are worrying too much, I can't see anything, or anyone coming between Mana and Atem." He walked over to the sideboard and poured himself a glass of single malt. " I have also had a stressful day; dealing with a student who's pet cat died, two young men who had a fight over a young woman, another who's parents split up and another who is in a gay relationship but afraid to tell his parents. So I think I also need a drink."

::::::::::::

Mana and Atem enjoyed the awards ceremony. As expected, Atem won the award for Best Young Footballer Under the Age of twenty one.

The young couple also enjoyed their night spent in the luxury five star hotel – all expenses paid!

"who is paying for all this?!" Mana threw herself on the king size bed.

"As the top scoring young player this season the club arranged this room as a kind of thank you. So I guess that indirectly, Seto Kaiba is paying, since bought out Kujaku and now owns this hotel and the football club."

"Why don't you come and join me Prince? It's so comfortable," Mana purred. He did not need much coaxing. Carefully placing down his trophy, he pulled off his jacket and shirt and joined her on the bed. "You're so tense!" She gently massaged his shoulders and felt him start to relax.

After enjoying a soak in the large whirlpool bath together, sipping their complimentary champagne, they went to bed.

Atem wanted to sleep with his trophy, but Mana put her foot down, so reluctantly, it spent the night on the stand next to the bed. However, he could not stop himself from waking up every now and again to look at it and check that it was still there.

He leant across and looked at Mana sleeping next to him. He gently brushed a strand of hair from her face and kissed her cheek softly so as not to wake her. Was it possible that their families were connected by some dark secret that went back thousands of years to the time of the Pharaohs? Had fate, somehow brought him and Mana together? It was all too much to think about, and he wasn't about to let it plague his thoughts and ruin his sleep.

Snuggling back down, he draped an arm over her and cuddled up to her. She made a contented little sound and wriggled slightly so that their bodies moulded comfortably. With her body warmth against him, Atem was soon sound asleep.

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With her parents away for the weekend, Anzu had invited Yugi round to stay with her. She and Yugi had been really happy since they had become a _real_ couple.

After spending Saturday afternoon making love, the young couple were laying together in a warm embrace. Anzu had her head resting on his chest and was idly tracing her fingers over his abdomen, enjoying the fact that the childish looks her timid boy had once possessed, had now been replaced by a lean, athletic physique and while he still kept his kind gentle features, his face was far more angular.

"Hmm.. This is nice Yugi... spending the weekend with you like this." She placed little kisses on his chest, making sure that she nibbled his nipples gently as she did.

He wriggled slightly as what she was doing tickled, while at the same time was arousing.

"Ready for round two?" She purred, "Or would you like to order pizza now?" She giggled.

"Round two," he led out a little mewl as she kissed his neck, " -and then pizza."

Massaging her thigh, he guided her leg over his body. Taking the hint, she straddled him. He loved how supple and toned her dancers body was, it meant that they could get into some wonderful positions.

Pizza could wait, he was going to take this long and slow.

The next morning, they were woken by sunlight breaking into the room. The brightness of the room meant that they had slept in quite late. "What time is it?" Anzu mumbled from under the messed up covers. Yugi popped his head up and checked.

"Ten forty five."

"Oh Gosh! We had better not lie in too long! Mum and Dad said they would be back around three and we have got to tidy the house," she worried.

"No rush," he chuckled and wrapped his arms around her, "we have ages. I will go and make a pot of tea and we can drink it in bed." He winked at her and kissed her bare shoulder, before getting out of bed to look for his boxers. Anzu watched him as he searched.

"How did they end up there?!" He finally found them hanging on her wall mounted television. When she started giggling he nearly threw them at her. "You put them there in the night!"

"Well I nearly tripped over them when I went out to the toilet! If you want to borrow my dressing gown, it's on the back of the door," she suggested.

"It's pink!" He took it off its hook and grimaced.

"But it has been on my body," she teased. "And anyway, no one will see you."

"Oh well, if it's been on you then I will wear it," He put the gown on and Anzu laughed at how small it looked on him. She remembered that not much more than a year ago, she had lent him a pair of sweat pants after he spilled tomato soup over his own trousers. They had been too big and baggy.

"Mmm... It smells of you," he smiled serenely, wrapping his arms around himself. "I won't be long."

Anzu smiled as he left. Now her gown would smell of him.

While the tea was brewing, Yugi looked at the many dance trophies Anzu's father had put on display. Her father was so proud of his little girl and Yugi felt honoured to be allowed to date her. He suddenly wished his own father could be here to see his and Atem's trophies. The one Yami had won the other evening, for being the best young footballer was awesome, and the awards had also been televised. His brother was becoming really famous.

His mind wandered again and he found himself thinking that Anzu's father would skin him alive, or even worse – castrate him if he knew what they had been doing yesterday afternoon and evening. The thought made him wince and he instinctively cradled his family jewels in his hands.

"Focus on something else Yugi...!" Mumbling to himself, he suddenly spotted a bag of croissants on the kitchen table. They were fresh from yesterday so should still be okay to eat. He popped the bag onto the tray with the tea and went back upstairs.

"What took you so long Yugi? I almost came to find you."

He grinned sheepishly. "Oh... I couldn't find all the stuff I needed. But I found these! Want one?"

"NO! We can't eat those in the bed, they will make crumbs everywhere!"

"O.. Okay, maybe later then." He put the bag back down.

As he sipped his tea, his mind returned to the subject of fathers. "Anzu, does your father know that I am spending the weekend here with you, like this?"

"Well, he didn't actually say anything, but I think they worked it out. Mum was worried about me being alone, but I told her I would have a friend round to stay. When they left, Mum whispered _We don't mind you having Yugi to stay, but please take precautions! And leave the house tidy."_

"Oh!" Yugi gulped. "Your Dad won't skin me alive or cut of my.. you know..!" His face turned pink.

"Don't be so silly Yugi! They like you and besides.. they want to be grandparents one day. I think they would be more than happy if we got married when were older."

"They would?!" He laughed nervously.

They were both silent for a moment while they drank the rest of their tea.

"Anzu!" Yugi said thoughtfully. "Does it ever bother you that I don't know who my father is?"

"Not really! Does it bother you Yugi? You never really talk about him so I don't like to ask."

"It's not that it bothers me, it's just that no one at home likes to discuss him. Me and Yami tried to ask when we were kids but were told he died in a plane crash. There are no photographs – nothing. It's like he never existed in the first place or just vanished into thin air. I looked for reports about plane crashes around that time and there was nothing. It's strange."

"Maybe it was a government cover up! Maybe he was in some special forces unit and was on top secret missions."

"I've thought about all that and... I don't know," he frowned. " And what I have inherited some genetic disease I don't know about? Does that worry you?"

"No, I haven't thought about it," she replied honestly. "What sort of disease?"

"I dunno. Heart disease, mental illness or early onset alzheimer's. Or maybe some deformity that skipped a generation, but I could pass on!" He wanted to tell her of his suspicion about their father being a Pharaoh. He knew it was an outrageous theory, but since he had starting studying Pharaohs of that time he had become curious.

He had learned a little about the Pharaoh his brother was named after and he had seen a scroll in Ishizu's office that bore the name Atem. Unfortunately, Yugi had only memorised the hieroglyphics for his name and could not read the rest of the ancient text. And when Ishizu caught him looking, she had been quick to gather up the scroll and put it away; claiming it was too delicate to touch and she was in the process of preserving it!

Yugi thought it more than a coincidence that his brother was named after the Pharaoh and it was even more of a coincidence that both he and Yami shared a resemblance to a carved image he had also seen of the Pharaoh. All this had made Yugi suspicious.

However, the thing that now worried him as he was getting older, was the fact that inbreeding had often been a worrying trend among royal families. At the time, they did not understand that it could lead to birth defects or to genetic abnormalities, but what if these abnormalities had somehow been passed on to the foetuses growing inside his mother? Even though they were both healthy, Yugi had been slow to grow!

"I think you are worrying too much." Anzu's voice cut through his thoughts. "And anyway, if you're that worried you can always have tests, just to make sure."

"Yeah... I guess I'm just being silly. And I have no intention of becoming a father for quite a few years yet!"

"Wasn't your Mum our age when she got pregnant with you and Yami?"

"Yeah, eighteen. She was nineteen when we were born. Granny and Grandpa were really good and helped look after us so she could go to college. It couldn't have been easy being a single parent," he said sadly.

"Your mother must be really proud now though. You and Yami have both turned out really well."

"Yeah, thanks," he smiled at her.

She smiled back cheekily. "You're still wearing my dressing gown!"

"It's comfortable!" He had forgotten about it when he got back into the bed! "Anyway, I'm starving after last night, so lets go and have breakfast before we tidy the house."

"How about I make pancakes?"

"Sounds yummy! Shall I clear up the pizza boxes and run the hoover round while you're making them?"

"You're on." Anzu leaped out of bed. Yugi noticed she was now wearing a pair of silky shorts and a vest top. She went to her wardrobe and pulled out a spare dressing gown that was blue. "You might prefer this colour. Swap?" She held it out to Yugi. He took off the one he was wearing and handed it to her, taking the blue one to wear instead.

Feeling much more comfortable that wearing the blue one, he no longer looked like her 'gay best friend', he took the pizza boxes and waste basket out to the recycling and rubbish bins.

"What would you like on your pancakes?" Anzu asked as he came back inside.

"Ice cream with chocolate sauce?" He sounded like an excited kid. Anzu laughed.

"Yugi, that's not healthy! How about fresh fruit? I have strawberries, raspberries and blueberries." In response, he scrunched his nose up.

"How about the fruit with ice cream and chocolate sauce? I'm really hungry," he replied pleadingly.

"Okay, just as a special treat," she sighed and smiled. She knew she would be tempted by the ice cream but was meant to be watching her diet. Dancers were supposed to eat healthily, and she had been told to lose weight!

In the end she compromised and just put a small scoop of ice cream on her pancakes. She was going to resist the chocolate sauce until Yugi grabbed the bottle and drew a chocolate love heart on her plate.

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 **Next update is likely to be next Thursday.**

 **Please let me know what you think in a review.**


	17. Chapter 17

In this chapter, Yugi and Atem do a little digging and discuss their possible link to the past and what their roles in a possible prophecy might be. But what will they find?

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh

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Broken Dreams

Chapter 17. Solidarity Between Brothers.

A few weeks later, Yugi was sitting in his room working on his history assignment. There was a knock at the door. "It's not locked," he called.

"Hey Yugi!" Atem stepped in. Although he and Mana had agreed not to talk about what she had told him in the car that evening, it had continued to bug him. He believed Mana, when she said she did not know any more than what she had confided in him and he did not wish to push her into to obtaining further information for him.

He did think about confronting Ishizu himself and demand to know the truth, but that would have meant betraying Mana's trust and he did not want to do anything that might hurt her or damage their relationship: He loved her and her happiness came first. But he still needed to learn more and the one person he could trust to help him, was his brother.

"Oh! Hi Yami!" Yugi said brightly. He had not seen much of his brother recently because they always seemed to be so busy lately. Atem still attended high school, but he spent more time training with the team rather than in the classroom with his friends. Yugi knew he found it hard to keep on top of his school work, but his brother was pretty stoic and would seldom ask for help.

"Just thought I would come and catch up. I pulled my calf during the game last night so I can't go to training today," he mumbled irritably.

"Ouch!" Yugi winced sympathetically. _His_ first achievement upon joining the school track team had been to pull his calf muscle! So he knew how painful it could be."How is it today?"

"Sore... I have an appointment with the physio this afternoon. I might be out of action for three to four weeks." He hobbled over to the bed and sat down. "How's the assignment going?"

"Not bad. I still have quite a bit to do, but I have another month before it's due in. What will you do if you can't train?"

"Oh! There's still plenty I can do, just as long as it doesn't hurt my calf; like swimming, cycling, spending time with Mana. I'm really gutted about missing next weekend's game but I guess it's all part of being a footballer.."

"Or you could do some school work!" Yugi chuckled.

"I guess." Atem shrugged.

"Hey! If you're injured maybe we can do some things together? We don't seem to hang out like we used to."

"No, we don't. That's why I came to see you. I wondered if you wanted to play Duel Monsters or something?" He held up his deck, "But if you're busy..."

"Sure! I'd love to play," Yugi said excitedly, shutting off his laptop.

They set up their duel mats and started playing. Yugi won the first game fairly easily and noticed that his brother seemed distracted.

"Yami! Is something bothering you? You're playing like a beginner!" He asked with a frown.

What?! No..." he lied.

"Crap Yami! I know you better than anyone. I can tell when you're lying."

Atem looked up at his brother and snorted, before placing his cards down. There was an awkward silence, until Atem suddenly spoke.

"How well do you know Ishizu Yugi?"

"I haven't seen her lately. You probably see her more than I do!" Yugi was a little puzzled by his brothers question.

"It's just... She might not be all she seems," he said seriously.

"Yami! What do you mean?!" Yugi placed his own cards down and stared at his brother.

"Well... It's a bit weird, but a few weeks ago, Ishizu had a funny turn. I think it had something to do with that necklace she wears. I think it causes her to experience visions and I think these visions might have something to do with us. Has she told _you_ anything Yugi?"

Yugi shook his head. "Not much. When I was helping at the museum I asked about our father. I felt sure she wanted to tell me something, but she winced and put her hand over her necklace; like it caused her pain or something," he paused to think. "Also, I might have looked at some documents in her office that I wasn't supposed to see... which got me thinking... I kinda have some theories, but you will probably laugh."

"I don't think the subject of our past, or future or whatever, is a laughing matter Yugi. I persuaded Mana to tell me what she knows. I promised her I wouldn't tell anyone what she said, but I know I can trust you."

"What did Mana say?"

"Tell me your theory first? And then I will tell you what Mana told me."

"O..kay... Promise not to laugh or freak out when tell you?"

"I won't."

"Well, you know how Mum and Grandpa have always avoid the subject of our father. I decided to look for information about plane crashes, between the time of Mum getting pregnant and us being born - but there was nothing! Don't you think that is strange?" Atem nodded to confirm his agreement. "Anyway," Yugi continued, "while I was helping at the museum, I saw a papyrus scroll and a photo on Ishizu's desk. I couldn't understand most of it as it was in hieroglyphics, but I did recognise the name of Pharaoh Atem in the text. The photo was of a carving of him that has recently gone on display in the Cairo Museum. I was shocked at his likeness to us – especially you! I have started to believe... that maybe, the Pharaoh is our father.. I know! Crazy right? But during his reign the Egyptians were keen magic users and... What if the Gods somehow..."

"I agree Yugi. After what Mana told me, I think your theory might hold some truth!" Atem interjected.

"You do?!"

"Yes.." he nodded. "And I believe Ishizu knows about it: That is why she came to Japan. Apparently, there is some prophecy that has been passed down through her family and she believes that you and I are somehow part of this prophecy. I don't know why no one has said anything to us though. It is like they are afraid of something," he said thoughtfully.

"Well that certainly explains a few things. Ishizu seemed very enthusiastic about me studying on her course. I was interested in the games the Egyptians played and she told me a game similar to Duel Monsters, was first played in Egypt by the Pharaoh and his priests, three thousand years ago! She also said that the Pharaoh Atem was known for his sporting prowess and his ability to win any game he played! I think she was drawing comparisons between him and us. Do you think we should ask her outright?"

"No! I don't want to get Mana into trouble. And I also believe there is more to it than that! I think Grandpa knows and so does our Mum. Did you notice how overprotective Grandpa was towards us after he came back from his last trip to Egypt a few years back?"

"Yes I did. I think you might be right," Yugi nodded sadly. "But why would they lie to us and keep secrets?"

"Because they didn't want us to feel different. If something like that was common knowledge, we would be seen as freaks of nature! They probably felt it was better that we didn't know so that we could grow up normally. Let's face it, the idea of our father being a three thousand year old Pharaoh, who came back to life in order to father two kids so they could fulfil some prophecy, is pretty preposterous."

"Yeah, perhaps Grandpa was worried someone might try and kidnap us...! Do you think we should keep it to ourselves for now?"

"Yes, I think so. Perhaps you could discreetly investigate this so called prophecy as part of your studies. There must be some ancient text written down somewhere."

"Why wait! Let's see what we can find online now." Yugi got up and switched his laptop back on. "I did do a few searches a while back, I didn't find anything, but it's worth another try."

Despite their efforts they found very little, other than what they already knew. Atem's rule was short; approximately two years. He was around nineteen and his death was apparently violent and surrounded in mystery.

"Oh! Hang on! Look a this?" Yugi clicked on 'recent discovery'. The boys both read out loud. "Archaeologists working on the restoration of Atem's tomb, recently discovered another chamber hidden behind his burial chamber. It contained another mummy, which is believed to be that of the Pharaoh's brother Heba. DNA tests are being carried out to confirm this."

"Well that's interesting. I wonder when and how his brother died?" Yugi wondered out loud.

"It doesn't say if he was younger or older, or if he died before or after the Pharaoh!" Atem queried.

"I would say before if his body is buried behind the Pharaoh's burial chamber," Yugi concluded.

"I agree. Try typing in Millennium Items?" Atem suggested.

"Millennium what?!" Yugi did as asked anyway.

"Mana mentioned them. The necklace Ishizu wears is one. Apparently Mahado has the Ring but he keeps it locked away." Atem explained.

"Oh! Here's something. They sound a bit mythical – a bit like the Holy Grail! They are rumoured to grant the wielder special powers. It is written that if a person collects all seven items, they will be granted ultimate power over the underworld! That's freaky! Thankfully, no one knows where they are hidden. Can you imagine if a lunatic or the government of some unstable country got hold of even one of them?!" Yugi gasped.

"Well, we know where two of them are!" Atem added and then smirked. "That's a pretty crap drawing of Ishizu's Tauk. And is that what the Ring is supposed to look like?" He pointed at the circular object with an eye in the middle and seven spikes pointing out from it.

"There's an eyeball as well. Ugh! The wielder has to dig out his own eye to wear it!" Yugi grimaced. "There's also a set of scales, a rod thing and a cross.. oh! My bad, its an ankh," Yugi corrected himself. "Wow! Look at that upside down pyramid pendant the Pharaoh wore?!"

"Do you think our fa.. I mean the Pharaoh Atem wore it? Maybe that is how he came back to life! By using its power!" Atem frowned at the very idea of his assumption.

"Maybe... It says that it grants the user the power to control the shadows and it unifies all the other items: Whatever that means. But yeah, it must be the ultimate symbol of power if the Pharaoh wore it. So he might have inherited the power of the Gods!" Yugi said, excited by the thought that if the Pharaoh was their father, he had access to such power. "I wonder what happened to it?!"

"I don't know. It must be hidden somewhere. Maybe that power was his downfall," Atem said sadly. "I think we should keep this knowledge to ourselves. It could be dangerous in the wrong hands... Mana said that Ishizu is part of a small, secretive clan of tomb keepers who guard the items. It could be that she and Grandpa are tying to keep us safe from their influence and from whoever may seek their power. If someone does try to obtain all seven items, maybe it will be our job to stop them! Perhaps that is our destiny?" The cogs in Atem's brain were whirring with possibilities. None sounded very desirable.

"You know! I'm starting to think this is a bad idea. Maybe we should just forget about it," Yugi stated nervously. "If we start digging too much we might just bite off more than we can chew."

"Agreed," Atem nodded and clamped his hand on his brother's shoulder. "My career and my relationship with Mana are more important to me than meddling in things we don't understand."

"Yeah," Yugi said shakily. "Things are great with me and Anzu right now, and I don't want to frighten her with occult stuff when she is concentrating on getting into the dance school in New York."

"Maybe we should just wait and let this prophecy play out. It might turn out to be nothing anyway!" Atem decided.

"Yeah... we should wait. Once I'm at university, I might be able to learn more from Ishizu, but until then..." he trailed off.

"So we're agreed then! Just between us for now?"

"Just between us," Yugi nodded and the pair hugged to show their solidarity. Even if they had not spent much time together lately, their bond still remained as strong as ever.

They had no idea of what challenges might await them, but they vowed to stick together, no matter what this prophecy turned out to be.

::::::::::::

The months seemed to fly by. Yugi achieved the grades required to go to university so that he could study to become an Archaeologist; specializing in Egyptology. He did not wish to cause any trouble and get thrown off the course, so he decided to keep his enquiries about the Pharaoh discreet for the time being. Ishizu seemed happy to have him on the course and in general, seemed fairly relaxed and happy.

Yugi did note that she had stopped wearing her Tauk! He hoped it was because the prophecy had turned out to be just a rumour and it meant that nothing bad was going to happen.

Atem tended to agree with him, but did say that they should still be cautious and not drop their guard.

Since leaving high school, the group of friends were all getting on with their lives: Honda had joined the army, Jonouchi and his sister were living with Mai. Since leaving school, Jonouchi had started training as a fire fighter and was earning fairly good money which helped contribute to the bills, enabling Mai to keep her apartment! Mai still hated working as an employee of Kaiba Corp, but at least she had made new friends who didn't judge her and she loved having Shizuka as her adopted kid sister. Mai and Jonouchi had a tempestuous relationship! But they seemed to thrive on it so everyone just accepted that they liked to bicker a lot.

Ryou meanwhile, had gone to live in England to train as a doctor and Ryuji Otogi had given up trying to become a professional footballer and gone to live in San Francisco, working for Industrial Illusions.

Yugi was working in the game shop one Saturday morning when Anzu came running in, full of excitement and waving a brown envelope.

"Hey! Anzu!" Yugi looked up in amused alarm at her jumping up and down waving the envelope at him.

"I did it Yugi! They accepted my final grades. I got into Juilliard!"

Yugi rushed out from behind the counter and wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her off her feet and spinning her round. Giggling she placed her arms around his shoulders as he lifted her.

He slowly put her back down and kissed her. "Well done, I'm so proud of you." But even though he was really happy for her, he still could not help the slight concern he had about her leaving him. Would they still be able to manage their relationship long distance? "When do you leave?" Even though he knew the answer, he still had to ask.

"The beginning of September." She must have noticed the slight look of worry on his face, adding: "But it's still only the end of April so we still have the whole summer together!"

"Yeah, we do. I'm really happy for you but I love you and I will miss you."

"It won't be forever. We can skype and talk every day. You can visit at Christmas and I can show you round New York. True love like ours will never die."

"Promise me you won't meet some hunky male dancer and forget about me?!"

"Don't be so silly Yugi, of course I won't. You are the most hunky guy I know."

"You're just saying that to be kind."

"I'm not. I mean it."

"How about you show me how much you mean it?" He grinned seductively.

"What here?! What if someone comes in?"

"No one else is home at the moment. I will shut the shop for an hour so we can go up to my room."

"Now you're talking," she winked, running her hands over his chest.

"hold on a minute. I just need to lock up." He quickly flipped the sign to 'closed for lunch' and locked the door.

::::::::::::

It was Monday morning and although his first class did not start until ten, Yugi arrived early so that he could make a start on reading an archaeology book that his grandfather had given him.

He decided to go to the canteen to buy some coffee and sit quietly in a corner with his book. He was about to sit down when he spotted Ishizu sitting drinking coffee and marking some papers. "Good morning Ishizu," he said politely and was about to go to a different table when she gestured him to sit down.

"Good morning Yugi. Would you care to join me?"

"Erm.. okay." Feeling a little awkward he sat down. "Weather is a bit rubbish today," he said, trying to make conversation.

"Yes, I was going to cycle this morning, but the rain put me off," she laughed. "I am afraid I am a fair weather cyclist." They both chuckled.

"Ah! Excellent book. One of your grandfather's I presume?" She gestured to the book he had just placed on the table.

"Yes, it is. I was going to start reading it before class this morning." Deciding it was a good opportunity to ask some questions, he cleared his throat. "I see you have not been wearing your necklace lately," he said quietly, so that no one could overhear. He was also careful not to call it the Tauk.

"It is a valuable family heirloom. I was concerned it might attract the attention of undesirables who might mug me, so I am keeping it safe at home," she said dismissively.

"Right," he nodded, trying to think of another line of questioning. A slightly awkward silence followed, so he sipped his coffee.

"How are you settling into university Yugi? Are you enjoying the course so far?"

"Yeah, it's really cool. I'm enjoying it," he said with sincerity.

He hesitated a moment as he tried to find the right words. "Ishizu, there's something I've been wanting to ask..?" He lowered his voice to barely a whisper. "Since Grandpa was the first person to successfully enter his tomb, I thought I would study the life and reign of Pharaoh Atem. I have found some information, but there is very little written about him and his family, or about his connection to the Millennium items. I wondered if you had anything that might assist me with my studies?"

Ishizu looked at him as if he had just committed a serious crime! "Yugi! Do not speak of the items in a public place," she hissed quietly. Yugi noted how she instinctively touched her throat where the Tauk would have rested. "We should go to my office to continue this conversation." She got up and he followed. The corridor was busy so they did not speak as they hurriedly walked.

Arriving at her office, she closed the door.

"How much do you know Yugi? Have you been talking to your brother?" She had not confronted Mana, but thanks to the Tauk showing her their conversation, she knew about Atem persuading Mana to tell him what she knew.

"Yes, we talked. We know there are seven items and that you and Mahado are guardians of the Tauk and the Ring. We also believe the Pharaoh wore the Pyramid Pendant and it might have something to do with the prophecy involving us. But... we really want to know..." He bit his lip. "Is the Pharaoh our father?"

"Yugi! You place me in a difficult situation. It is not I, but your mother and grandfather who should discuss your father with you. What I will tell you, is that he was a good man who died far too young, while trying to protect the land he loved. As for the Millennium items, they are all safe with their guardians. The prophecy you speak of is unclear. At first, I was certain that it would come to pass when you both reached eighteen, but you are nearly nineteen now and I am afraid my faith in this prophecy is somewhat diminished. That is why I have stopped wearing the Tauk."

"What did this prophecy predict Ishizu? If it concerns me and Yami I want to know?" He persisted.

"Very well," Ishizu sighed. "My family have waited three millennia for the chosen Pharaoh to return. It is written, that in order to defeat the evil force that was threatening to devour the earth, the Gods chose a young Pharaoh to do their bidding. The Pendant he wore helped him to summon the Gods and defeat this evil. Unfortunately, the cost of being the one chosen to wield such ultimate power was his life. The prophecy states that the evil will rise again. In order to defeat it, the Pharaoh will visit this world as a God and a new chosen one will be born. When Sugoroku uncovered the tomb of Atem, the Tauk started to show me visions. And when Hana became pregnant, and You and Atem were born looking so much like the Pharaoh, we believed the time was drawing near. I came to Japan to guide you because I believed that one of you might be the chosen one. However the time for the prophecy has passed and I am no longer sure that the prophecy is correct."

"So Atem was the chosen Pharaoh..." Yugi muttered to himself quietly. "And unless the prophecy is wrong, he might be our father." He felt sadness in his heart for the young Pharaoh who had given up his life to defeat the evil. "Would the chosen one be expected to give up his life in order to defeat this evil, should it come back?" His brother was most like the Pharaoh; he even bore his name! He could not let his brother die! He would give his own life if it would protect Yami from harm.

"That I do not know Yugi," she said honestly. "As I said, my whole life has been devoted to the tomb keepers and their teachings. It all seemed so straightforward before, but now I'm not so sure. I have put away the Tauk because I wish to live a normal life, unburdened by superstition and ancient prophecies. I have looked at numerous prophecies that were written throughout the ages and almost none of them have come to pass." She took a deep breath. "It is time to move on. I want to have a career and raise children of my own. You are a bright young man Yugi. You and your brother have great futures ahead of you. I suggest you concentrate on them."

"O.. Okay!" Yugi felt as though he had just had the wind knocked out of his sails. So certain had he been that Pharaoh Atem was his and Yami's father. So certain was he that Ishizu held the answers. Yet here she was clearly disillusioned with it all. No wonder really! She had spent her whole life preparing for something that should have happened nearly a year ago. She had moved away from her homeland to set up a new life here in Japan, just to be close to two boys she thought were the chosen ones, only to find it had all been for nothing. He felt kind of guilty. "I'm sorry Ishizu. I.. I don't know if I want to be a chosen one anyway."

Ishizu started laughing. "Do you know, it felt so good to get that off my chest. Maybe now we can stop being so secretive, move forward and all be good friends. I am not sorry we came to Japan, Mana would never have met your brother if we hadn't. There are also far better opportunities here for Mana than there would be in Egypt. Come on Yugi, we should get to class, the lesson begins in ten minutes and I am hardly even prepared!"

Yugi decided not to say anything else for now, but he still planned to learn more about Atem's rule as Pharaoh. Partly so that he could write a paper on him for his degree, but mostly because he and Yami needed to know the truth. He still felt that Ishizu had not told him everything, and he was determined to hold onto his belief that the Pharaoh _was_ their father. He did not know why, but he could not just let it go.

* * *

 **Phew! A few revelations there. But is the prophecy really false? Are they really safe? All will unfold shortly.**

 **Please review.**


	18. Chapter 18

Warning: Some strong language, mentions of sexual assault, alcohol and violent behaviour.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.

* * *

Broken Dreams

Chapter 18. Welcome To New York.

The summer months went by way too fast for Yugi's liking. All too soon, Anzu was leaving for New York.

Since leaving high school in, Anzu had worked all through summer as a full time waitress at Burger World. She hated it, but as long as she could tell herself that it was all for her time in New York, she could survive the monotony of serving serving endless burgers and fries – after all, it was only until the end of August.

However, her resolve soon crumbled when a male customer tried to put his hand up the extremely short skirt she was forced to wear.

Yugi was on the bus coming home from university, when Anzu rang him. He answered only to be greeted with a furious sounding Anzu. "Yugi! Where are you?"

"Erm... On the bus coming home." His voice was hesitant. "Is everything okay?"

"No! I'm bloody fuming. Do I sound okay?!"

"No you..." She interrupted him before he could speak further.

"I got the sack! Some pervert tried to stick his hand up my skirt so I decked him."

"You did what?!" Yugi shrieked a little too loudly and blushed when he noticed other passengers looking at him. "Where are you now?" He said a little more quietly.

"I'm sitting in the square by the entrance to the botanical gardens, with steam coming out of my ears.."

"Okay, stay there. The bus goes near there so I will get off and come to find you. I will be ten to fifteen minutes."

"Thank you Yugi." They ended the call.

Yugi shook his head in disbelief. If he had been at the restaurant he felt sure that he would have decked the customer himself for touching his girlfriend, thus saving her from getting fired. Now that she was out of work, he was a little concerned about what she would do to earn enough money for dance school.

He found her sitting on a bench, crying. Now that she had stopped fuming and thought about it, her emotions had turned to misery. Unless she could find another job quickly, she wouldn't be able to save enough to get her through the two year placement.

"Hey, there you are!" He sat down beside her and cuddled her. She rested her head against his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his chest. She felt safe and comforted in his embrace - At just nineteen he was no longer the runt of the litter and had grown to be strong and handsome.

"What happened Anzu? If someone assaulted you, you should file for unfair dismissal. No man has the right to grope women without their consent." Although tinged with concern, his voice was smooth, silky and calming.

"I was serving a table and this.. pervert," she sniffed, "shoved his hand up the inside of my thigh and... Ughhh it was horrible. I was so shocked I dropped their food all over the table. The pervert shouted at me and called me a stupid bitch, so I lost my temper, shouted that he was a perverted pig and punched him on the nose. The supervisor came over and dragged me to the managers office. The pervert made up some lie and I was sacked on the spot. They wouldn't even listen to my side of things."

Yugi clenched his fist angrily. "They have no right to treat you this way," he growled. He was not prepared to let it go. "We are going back there now. If they don't give you your job back and apologize, you can file a complaint with the police for sexual assault and sue Burger World for unfair dismissal."

"But I punched him! What if he files a counter claim?"

"It doesn't matter, you were acting in self defence. Assaults against women are taken seriously these days." He got up and pulled her with him, squeezing her hand reassuringly. "Come on, I will back you up."

"I think I should tell my dad as well, he will back us up if it turns nasty." She knew her father would be angry. But had worried that he would be angry with her for getting the sack, but in light of what Yugi was saying, she had a valid complaint.

With Yugi and her father involved, Burger World backed down. At first, the customer involved threatened to take legal action against her for breaking his nose, but when two other customers sitting nearby confirmed Anzu's side of the story, the police arrested him and charged him with sexual harassment. Anzu was awarded compensation.

Now, as she and Yugi hugged and kissed a tearful goodbye at the airport, she could only be amused by the irony of it. Her parents had told her that they would match whatever she managed to save towards her schooling in New York. And since the compensation had more than doubled what she would have earned, she had ended up with a nice sum of money to help see her through.

The last call for her flight came over the intercom, but the two teens could not bring themselves to part.

"Anzu honey?!" Her mother placed a loving hand on her back. "You have to go or you will miss your flight."

Anzu nodded and stepped back from her boyfriend, gazing at him tearfully. He tried to smile at her. Sniffing, he wiped away his tears on the back of his hand.

Her mother had come prepared for tears and handed round the tissues.

Behind them, Jonouchi, Mai and Shizuka, Honda, Atem and Mana all stood with tears in their eyes as well.

Anzu scanned her friends faces and wiped away her tears on the tissue her mother had just given her. "Why is everyone crying? Its not like I'm gone forever! I will be back for a couple of weeks next spring and you can all come and visit me, whenever you want."

"Take care love." Her father sniffed back his tears and hugged her. "I can't believe my little girl is leaving. I remember when I took you to your first dance lesson, and now look at you! Make me proud okay?"

"You bet I will Dad! And thanks for supporting me. You're the best Dad in the world." She hugged him tightly. Her comments caused her father's tears to burst through the dam and trickle down his cheeks.

"Now look what you've done? You have made your silly old Dad cry. Now get going before I ground you!" Everyone laughed through their tears. They were sad to see her leave, whilst at the same time happy for her to be getting such an amazing opportunity.

After she had gone, Yugi just stood there, staring at the departure gate. His brother approached him and placed an arm around his shoulder. "Come on Yugi," he said quietly. "Let's go home." Yugi nodded slowly and leant against his brother for support as he was escorted back outside to the car. It felt as though his world had just crumbled apart and he felt awful. His emotions were mixed. On one hand he was extremely happy for her to be living the dream she had held since childhood, on the other he was miserable that she had left him. What if they drifted apart and she met someone else? What if she made new friends and forgot her old ones?

They had promised to be faithful to one another, and Yugi was determined not to become attracted to any of the girls he met at university. He was no fool, he knew she was beautiful and would have men chasing after her. He could only hope that she had the will power to resist.

It did not even cross his mind that girls might find him attractive and chase after him!

::::::::::::

Anzu took the New York Subway from the airport to the school. She would be staying on campus, as all first year students are required to do, in the Meredith Willson Residence Hall. She was feeling a little over awed by the whole experience and as she was shown to her room she couldn't help humming Welcome to New York by Taylor Swift, in her head.

She was allocated a room in one of the residential suites. She was very tired and didn't take it all in as one of the girls, Sally, who was also an international student and from New Zealand, showed her around the communal living space and bathroom facilities in the shared suite. Sally was in the room next door to Anzu and seemed really nice. Anzu liked her room very much as it looked out over the Hudson River. It was also clean and very comfortable. She felt she would be happy here and she wished Yugi could be with her to see it. She took some pictures for her friends to see and posted them on her facebook page.

Since today was Friday, she had some time to rest before the Student Orientation Day, which was on Saturday. She had promised to skype Yugi as soon as she arrived but was so tired that by the time she had met the people she would be sharing the suite with, taken a shower and had a bite to eat, she fell asleep.

When she woke up she had received several texts from him and a missed phone call. She was just about to call him up on facebook messenger when her new friends knocked on her door to tell her that it was time to go to the student orientation meeting. She sent him a quick text to say she would call him later.

:::::::::::::

Anzu soon settled into her busy routine. With classes, practice and the student social life, there was little time left to feel homesick. She made sure to set aside time to speak with Yugi every day, and tried to remember to message her friends almost every day too. The weeks flew by and soon she was looking forward to the Christmas break when Yugi would be visiting for a week.

However, Yugi was facing a dilemma. Because of his hard work and dedication, Ishizu had arranged for him to have the opportunity to go with her to Egypt for a two week archaeology field trip. It was far to good an offer to turn down and would be really helpful towards gaining his degree and making a future career for himself. And in all honesty, he was desperate to go because he hoped it would give him the opportunity to visit Pharaoh Atem's tomb, and also see some of the artefacts taken from it that were on display at the museum.

The problem was, the trip clashed with his planned visit to see Anzu. It would not be easy to tell her her that he would not be coming to stay for Christmas.

His resolve started to crumble as they spoke on skype. He could she she was fighting back tears.

"I will tell Ishizu I can't go. There's plenty of other students keen for a place." His own emotions were threatening to overwhelm him.

"No! Yugi you have to go, it's the opportunity of a lifetime! I am desperate to see you but it would be selfish of me to to put my career before yours and stop you from going." Anzu was very upset but she had chosen to go to New York to study and there was no way she could stop him pursuing his own dreams of a career in Archaeology.

"But, when will we see each other? I'm not sure I can wait until March!" He was worried this might be the first sign of cracks appearing in their relationship.

"I love you Yugi and of course I want to see you at Christmas, but you must go to Egypt. I don't want to be responsible for you throwing away good opportunities. We will have our whole future together when we finish studying." She was hiding her sadness well. She refrained from telling him that she would be dancing in her first show on Broadway. It was only a supporting part, but the school had been asked to supply some of their most promising dancers for a Christmas special that would be filmed live from Broadway. The show would run until early January.

"I promise to come and see you as soon as I can. Maybe I can get some compassionate leave or something in the new year," he said hopefully.

"Well, I am desperate to see you too. But only come if you're sure it won't get in the way of your education Yugi," she said sternly, to which he agreed.

One month later and Yugi was preparing for his trip to Egypt, while Anzu was rehearsing madly for the show.

::::::::::::

Seto Kaiba did not usually visit charitable projects personally, but since this one was close to his heart, he had agreed.

Several months ago, he had been approached by a childrens charity and asked to sponsor the building of a school and orphanage in Cairo, for children who had lost their parents due to the war in the middle east. Many of the children were refugees who had been rescued from areas near the border that were being ravaged by tribal war and terrorism.

Under his stepfathers leadership, Kaiba Corp had been a weapons manufacturer. Seto had been manipulated into designing software which he had hoped would be used for gaming technology, only to have his wicked stepfather use the software to power his guided missile systems. Because of this, Seto felt responsible for the plight of these kids and having been an orphan himself he was only too happy to help provide funds.

Whilst they were here, Mokuba had managed to talk him into doing some sightseeing as well. Since money talks, he was able to hire a personal guide to take them out to visit the Valley of the Kings.

The guide was a man named Marik Ishtar.

While Mokuba was awed by everything, Seto was bored. "I really have better things to do than look at dead things in tombs," he yawned. "And besides, these swarms of tourists are getting on my nerves. Isn't there anywhere less crowded we could visit?"

Unaware that Seto Kaiba already knew his sister and thinking that Ishizu might be interested to meet the wealthy CEO as a potential financial backer, to help fund her projects, Marik decided to take them to the site where he knew she would be working with her small team, doing excavation and restoration work on one of the burial chambers that had recently been found.

It was closed to the public, so might shut this annoying fool up for a bit. "There is something you might be interested in seeing. My sister is currently working on a recently uncovered tomb that belonged to a priest who was said to be cursed."

"Wow!" Mokuba's eyes went wide. "A real curse. Can we go Seto.. please?"

Seto rolled his eyes. "Curse! Don't try to impress me with your silly, superstitious mumbo jumbo Ishtar. I am not one of your gullible tourists." To keep Mokuba happy he followed them to the dig site anyway.

Seto smirked and put two and two together when he saw the woman he recognised... Of course, he should have guessed – they shared the same family name! Ishizu was wearing a headscarf and rather dusty looking western style clothing. She was walking towards them with a slightly perplexed look on her face and was cleaning her hands on a piece of cloth.

"Bloody hell Marik! What on earth are you doing bringing people out here? You know this site is closed to the pub... Oh! Mr. Kaiba!" Ishizu stopped mid sentence and gawked at the grinning CEO. Feeling embarrassed that she had been ranting in front of him, she bowed and held out a rather dirty hand to shake.

Seto eyed the hot, dishevelled woman. Underneath the layer of dust and sweat, he decided, for the first time since meeting her, that she was quite attractive. Maybe this trip wouldn't be a waste of time after all.

"It's a pleasure to meet you again Ishizu," he said bowing slightly and taking the hand offered. He noticed that despite being dirty, her hands and nails were still well manicured.

"Have you a reason for being here?" She tried not to sound irritated, just in case he was here to offer funding.

"I hired this man as a guide, I had no idea he was your brother! I was bored being jostled by tourists so he brought us here." He looked around at the barren scorched desert. "Since I have been dragged half way across the desert, I hope you have something worth showing me."

"I take it you do not like the desert then?" She raised an enquiring eyebrow.

"Not particularly. It gets in my hair, my eyes, my ears, my nose, shoes and other unmentionable places."

"The sand gets in my underwear too!" Mokuba giggled. Ishizu could not resist smiling either.

"Well, since you are here, perhaps you would like to follow me?" She gestured for Seto and Mokuba to go with her. They had to climb down a shaft, using a rickety wooden ladder, into the tunnel where they were working. "Be careful, it is very rough under foot. I suggest you hold onto the rope to steady yourselves." The Kaiba brothers did as they were told and followed Ishizu along a passage that continued to slope downwards for about twenty metres. Both held onto the makeshift hand rail consisting of a rope secured by pins usually used for mountaineering, so that they would not slip.

"I have one of my students working with me. I think you know him," she said cheerfully. "His name is Yugi Mutou." The name hit Seto like a club hammer.

"What is that little runt doing here?" He growled. It had been at least a year since he had seen Yugi, but he was well aware that Yugi was still the King of Games.

"I'm sorry?! I had no idea you held a grudge against him!" Ishizu was taken back by the animosity in his tone. "Yugi is one of my best students! Why would he not be here? I will trust you to be civil towards him while on _my_ dig site Mr. Kaiba," she said tersely, making Mokuba smirk to himself. Not many people could issue a put down to his brother and get away with it.

All Seto could say was, "Hmph.. I will try."

Yugi looked up from where he was cleaning a pot containing some old coins they had unearthed. "Kaiba!" His eyes went wide. Yugi knew that Kaiba disliked him after he had beaten him at Duel Monsters, claiming his world title. "What are you doing here?"

"Ishizu is hoping for funding to finance her projects." He smirked at her knowingly. "Why else would your brother bring me here?"

"How very cynical of you Mr. Kaiba. It is not my intention to harass you for money, unless of course you are willing to invest," she said politely.

"Perhaps we should discuss it over dinner tonight!" He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Seven thirty at the Falcon Hotel? I am staying in the Ambassador Suite."

"Accepted. Now back to our work here." She started to explain what they were doing. Yugi showed them some of the trinkets they had unearthed. Both Kaiba and Mokuba were drawn to the sarcophagus at the far end of the room.

"Ah... the mummy. We are in the process of preparing him to be moved to the museum for safe keeping. A replica will be made for display purposes." Ishizu told them.

Both Seto and Mokuba were inquisitive about the mummy's remains. Yugi went with them as they peered at it in horror.

"Why has it got a rock in its mouth?!" Mokuba clung to Seto. For some reason he was afraid.

Ishizu smiled and nodded for Yugi to tell them.

"We think that it formed part of a binding ritual. This is why he hasn't been moved yet. We need to ensure he is secure before we do so. The locals are very superstitious about such things," Yugi explained.

"Why?" Seto said slowly. He didn't normally get nervous, but this was creeping him out.

"Do you believe in curses?" Ishizu asked.

"Pfft... curses! Don't make me laugh." He scoffed.

"You would do well to have an open mind. Tell them what we believe happened to this unfortunate individual Yugi?"

He nodded. "We think this is the body of a Priest called Aknadin. We found evidence that he may have been part of a cult that worshipped a demon god from the underworld called Zorc Necrophades. It is thought that he tried to raise this demon and was executed as a result. King Set - who became Pharaoh after his cousin Pharaoh Atem died in the battle to defeat Aknadin and his army of the dead, was worried he might have been possessed by the demon and had him buried like this to prevent him from rising up from the dead and terrorising the people.

"What superstitious mumbo jumbo," Seto scoffed.

"That's horrible!" Mokuba gasped. "Why put a rock in his mouth?"

"Yeah, it is pretty macabre." Yugi agreed.

"There have been many cases throughout history, of ritualistic burials," ishizu continued. "Many cultures have legends of demons, ghouls and vampires that rise from the dead to terrorise the living. A rock in the mouth is one of many ways to bury these unfortunate individuals who are believed cursed. We also found a canopic jar that would have contained the priests heart, with a wooden dagger inside it."

"And you are happily working down here with a creature that could wake up and suck your brains out?!" Seto snorted sarcastically. "What a load of rubbish! There's no such thing as a curse, just ignorant, superstitious people."

"Aren't you scared Yugi?" Mokuba clung to his brother nervously. "Seto can we leave now?"

Yugi shrugged. "It's okay Mokuba, he's long dead. And like your brother says, curses don't exist. Besides, there have been other corpses found in the Middle East and Eastern Europe with similar burials. They pose no danger," he smiled reassuringly.

A tall man with tattoos on his face appeared. Mokuba shrunk further behind his brother. This man scared him more than the mummy! "This is my half brother Rishid." Ishizu made introductions. "Are we ready to move this mummy now?" She asked him.

"There is a slight problem my sister. The labourers were freaked out when they heard about the condition of the man's remains. Marik has tried to reason with them but they refused to assist with removing the priest and have run away."

"Oh, crap!" Ishizu was not happy. "How are we supposed to get him out of this tomb without their help?" They would struggle without the labourers who were nimble and experienced in manoeuvring fragile corpses from deep underground. Her brother Marik was clumsy and despite his strength Rishid was cumbersome and not very agile for fitting into tight spaces.

"I will help." Seto was keen to prove that he was not afraid of some shrivelled up dead thing.

Ishizu looked surprised. "Are you sure?"

"I would not have offered if I wasn't. If I were you I would accept before I change my mind."

"Thanks Kaiba." Yugi stepped forward. "I will help too. I'm sure we can manage between us."

The structure that lined the heavy sarcophagus was badly rotted so the body was carefully placed inside a modern coffin and secured for transportation. Yugi took the feet end and Seto lifted the front end, while Ishizu helped by guiding the front of the coffin out. It was also secured with ropes to a pulley system, just in case they dropped it.

"Careful Yugi!" Seto barked as Yugi pushed the coffin too fast. "I'm over six foot, I'm not used to climbing in an out of these tombs like you are." He also didn't really have adequate grip on his shoes and found his feet slipping.

As he lifted one leg to step forward, his back foot slipped and he went down on his hip. The coffin dropped to one side. Yugi managed to hold onto the back part to stop it falling but it still ended up tipping over.

"Shit!" Seto cursed loudly.

"Seto! is everything okay?" Mokuba called out from the entrance.

"Yes, I just slipped. It's under control Mokuba." He carefully hoisted the coffin back to its correct position and stood.

Inside the coffin, the mummy had been tipped onto its side, dislodging the rock. A thin black wisp of dark shadow energy escaped from the mouth of the corpse and seeped out through the wooden coffin, unseen by the three people in the tunnel.

The thin wisp of shadow filtered out into the dimly lit passageway to where the three manoeuvring the coffin, were fumbling to get it righted in the narrow space.

The air in the passageway suddenly became fetid for a few moments and then a cold draft rushed through making Yugi shiver.

"Did anyone feel that?" Yugi felt slightly dizzy and sick, but held onto his end of the coffin. "The air suddenly smelled bad and then there was a rush of cold air."

"I too felt a cold draught a moment ago, but I thought I was imagining it!" Ishizu replied.

"I didn't feel anything." Seto was feeling nervous all of a sudden. "Can we hurry up and get out of this rat hole?" He suddenly shivered and almost dropped the coffin again. He could have sworn something just entered his body. He was suddenly feeling flu like symptoms. It was all that he could do just to concentrate on getting the coffin to the surface.

The bright sunlight hit them as they emerged. The coffin was hoisted up through the opening and placed carefully down on the ground. "Is everything intact?" Marik approached them.

"Yes, I think so Marik. We should check to make sure the body wasn't damaged when Seto slipped."

"Everyone, I think something is wrong with Seto!" Mokuba was kneeling beside his brother who was curled on the ground having convulsions.

"Kaiba!" Yugi turned his attention from the coffin and ran to help. "What's wrong?"

"Get away from me!" Seto swiped at him angrily. "I'm okay, It's nothing." He painfully staggered to his feet.

"You don't look okay Seto!" Mokuba was worried at the pained expression and almost grey appearance of his brother.

"Like I said, it's nothing. I have had a bad stomach since arriving here and I have over exerted myself. I have a stomach cramp, that's all."

"Some of the stomach bugs here can be quite dangerous, maybe you should see a doctor to get something to help," Yugi suggested.

"I don't need a doctor." Seto was adamant.

Inside his body, a war was waging. His body was fighting to reject a hostile invasion – without success. To Seto, it felt as though his body was fighting a nasty virul infection.

The entity was also struggling slightly. It had been dormant for over 3000 years and was finding it hard to adjust to its new host.

But this host was just what it was looking for: Tall, strong and powerful. It was the perfect host with which to at last achieve what that damn Pharaoh thwarted all those millennia ago. Not wanting to raise any suspicion, it decided that for now it would keep a low profile and not try to manipulate its new host... yet!

"Oh fuck!" They heard Marik shout.

Forgetting about feeling unwell, Seto came rushing over with Yugi and Mokuba. Peering into the coffin, they all saw that the stone had fallen out of place. Ishizu was looking at it with a worried expression, not knowing quite what she should do.

Yugi frowned. "Well at least it hasn't come back to life." He cringed when everyone looked at him incredulously.

"Really Yugi! No... you don't say," Seto said sarcastically.

"What do you think should we do?" Mokuba had a bad feeling.

"I say we just shove the stone back in its mouth and hope for the best," Marik reasoned.

"Anyone have a better idea, or are we all agreed?" Ishizu looked at them all. Everyone nodded in agreement. However, no one wanted to put their hand in the coffin so they all stood looking at each other.

"Oh! For fuck sake!" Seto grabbed the stone as quickly as he could and shoved it back in, pulling his hand away as fast as he possibly could.

::::::::::::

The first thing Seto did when he got back to the Hotel was jump into a cool shower. A strange sickness was washing over him and he did not know how to satisfy it.

When Mokuba came to his room to check on him an undesirable craving stirred inside and he found himself wanting to bite his little brother and drink his blood. "Leave me Mokuba, I'm going to have a rest before dinner." The day took more out of me than I anticipated. _What is wrong with me?!_

"Okay Seto, let me know if you need anything? I will be in my room." Mokuba left him, thinking it strange – Seto never usually needed much sleep!

As soon as Mokuba left, Seto went out. It was getting dark and long shadows were falling in the wake of the setting sun, casting long eerie shapes in the red/golden light. He soon found what he was looking for.

Having been chased away from the main tourist area, a beggar was sitting against the wall in the entrance to a side street. The side street was dark and in shadow. Seto approached him and hauled him into the shade so fast the man barely saw him coming.

Even Seto did not know what was happening as his features became feral and his incisors slid down to become sharp fangs.

He bit down on the petrified man's neck and drained him of his life force. The man was skinny and malnourished so his blood was thin and lacking in iron but it would at least stop this unbearable craving.

Calmly hiding the body in a nearby bin, Seto casually strolled back to the hotel to get ready for his dinner date.

By the time he met Ishizu for dinner, Seto's body had more or less adjusted to the 'possession' and apart from a headache, which he presumed was brought on by being out in the hot sun for most of the day, he was totally unaware of the evil entity which now resided inside him and did not even question his earlier actions.

Dinner with Ishizu turned out to be dinner with Ishizu, Yugi, Rishid and Marik. It was not what Seto had hoped for. He wanted her on her own so that he could seduce her and feast on her blood. _What am I thinking? She's a married woman! And why would I want to feast on her blood?_ He dismissed the unsettling thought. "I see you have brought your chaperones with you. Don't you trust me Ishizu?!" He raised an eyebrow at her. He had left Mokuba in their suite so that he could have her all to himself.

"If we are to discuss business, I would like my brothers to be involved and Yugi is also part of my team."

Although a little miffed, he was forced to accept the extra dinner guests.

The meal was good and after a few glasses of fine wine, Seto found himself agreeing to donate funds to help her students with their research. Egyptian Archaeology did not interest him in any way whatsoever, so he did not really know why he had agreed! Had it been the technology department, he would understand, because they would supply him with future employees, but this?! For some strange reason it felt right.

After the meal, Ishizu rose from the table. "We have a very early start in the morning so I bid you good night Seto. May I thank you again for assisting with funding. My students will be most grateful as well. I wish you a safe journey home."

After she had gone, Marik grinned. "Now that my sister has gone, who fancies a few drinks and a game of poker?"

"Marik!" Rishid glared at him sternly. "You know how Ishizu feels about you gambling and drinking!"

"Yeah, that's why I waited until she had gone. Yugi? Seto?"

Seto sat back and cracked his knuckles. "I wouldn't say no," he smirked and looked at Yugi. "Mutou?" He couldn't wait to get revenge on Yugi for beating him at Duel Monsters. He doubted Yugi knew how to play poker.

"I.. I'm not sure. I have to be up early too, so I shouldn't really." How could he resist a game of cards? Grandpa had been a master gamer, he had taught him how to play so he was pretty sure he could hold his own. "I haven't really played poker before, so I guess it will be fun to learn."

Three hours later and Yugi had mastered the game so well that he was amassing a nice little pile of money. He had also tried his first glass of single malt. He was not keen on the amber liquid so he made sure to take his time. Marik was already on his third glass and Rishid had given up playing after losing the first three games and was sat on the couch drinking a large whiskey.

A little later, Marik folded, poured himself another drink and sat back to watch the two remaining participants trying to psych each other out.

"Well Yugi! I must say I am surprised. I didn't expect you to be a seasoned gambler." Feeling confident, Kaiba glanced over his hand and upped the stakes by waging 100'000 Egyptian pounds. "I hope you can afford to lose Yugi? If you cannot, then I suggest you back down now!" He really wanted to see this little punk humiliated. The pot had now got so big that they were using matchsticks as they did not carry that much cash.

Yugi bit his lip. "I didn't think I would do as well as this, I have surprised myself!" He chuckled nervously. Kaiba had laid down a challenge and when it came to games, he was never one to back down from a challenge.

However, if he lost this challenge he was in real trouble financially. But if he won, he wouldn't have to ask his brother to pay for him to go and see Anzu in New York. "You're on Kaiba!" _I hope I don't end up regretting this!_

Kaiba placed his cards down and called Yugi's hand. "Straight flush 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen of diamonds!" He smirked at Yugi triumphantly. There was no way this novice could beat him.

Yugi gulped nervously and put his cards on the table. "9, 10, Jack, Queen, King of hearts. I think that means I win." The smirk drained from Seto's face. His nails darkened and veins bulged as his hands curled into fists. "You little cheat," he hissed. The demon inside him responded to his anger and was rising to the surface.

"But... but I didn't cheat!" Yugi suddenly felt afraid of this man, "It's not about the money, I won't take it.. If you want, we can forget this ever happened!"

Kaiba lunged at him and grabbed his shirt collar, pulling him up from his seat with superhuman strength, almost choking him in the process.

Both Marik and Rishid stood up with horrified expressions. "Kaiba! Let him go? What the hell's wrong with you?! You lost so just accept it," Marik ordered.

Kaiba was struggling to restrain the demon within. It was feeding on his anger and humiliation at being beaten by a man who claimed he had never really played poker before. His body started shaking and Yugi could have sworn he saw his eyes change from bright blue to sinister black, filling his whole eye!

"Grrrgh..." He threw Yugi backwards, causing him to crash over the table and onto the floor, knocking the bottle and glasses full of whiskey over as well. "Take the money you little shit. It's only loose change to me anyway." He scribbled out a cheque and threw it at Yugi who was laying on the ground covered in playing cards and splashes of whiskey. His hand was also bleeding where the broken glass had cut him. "Now get out of my room... All of you!"

Rishid helped Yugi to his feet, while Marik picked up the cheque. As soon as they were outside, he handed it to Yugi. "Here, take it?" Yugi hesitated. "You earned it after the way that psycho attacked you. Now lets go and get some sleep before you have my sister after you as well. It's two in the morning and you have to be up by six!"

The three left the Falcon Hotel and went back to the Ishtar residence.

"Will your hand be okay Yugi?" Rishid was concerned that it was bleeding quite badly.

"Yes, I'm fine. I have a first aid kit in my room." Yugi accepted the cheque from Marik and went back to his room.

Stripping off, he dumped his blood and whiskey stained clothes in the sink to soak and climbed into his en-suite shower. The cut on his hand was quite deep and still bleeding fairly heavily, but it was clean.

It refused to stop bleeding, so he placed several thick layers of dressing on it from his first aid kit and then went to bed.

He slept through his alarm and was woken at six thirty by Ishizu knocking on the door. His hand was throbbing as he staggered out of bed and answered the door, to find her standing there looking rather angry. "S.. sorry Ishizu."

"It is not you I'm angry with Yugi. I have given Marik a piece of my mind." She looked at the haphazardly applied bandage on his hand. Some blood had soaked through it and was smeared over his white tee shirt. "Now let's take a look at your hand and put a proper dressing on it." She decided that the cut required stitches. She waited outside his room while he got dressed and then took him to the hospital, where he had to have four stitches in the palm of his hand.

::::::::::::

After yet another humiliating defeat by Yugi Mutou, Seto Kaiba didn't want to stick around. Especially after losing his temper and throwing Yugi across the room. What on earth had come over him?

"Get up Mokuba! We're leaving."

"But Seto! I thought we were having a few days holiday! Why do we have to leave?" Mokuba was confused at being woken up at five thirty. He had been fast asleep in his room and had no idea what had happened last night.

"You wanted to experience a western style Christmas, so we are going to New York."

"But you hate Christmas? And besides, Christmas was four days ago. It's the New Year next."

"They will still have decorations up. And I have heard the fireworks on New Years Eve are fantastic. I am prepared to tolerate it just this once." _It will be worth it to get my revenge on Yugi._

Mokuba's face lit up. "Thank you Seto!" He hugged his brother. He didn't see the grimace of disgust on his brother's face when he hugged him. Slowly but surely, Seto's own personality was giving way to that of the demon he had now become.

::::::::::::

As soon as they left the hospital Yugi and Ishizu decided to visit Seto Kaiba in his hotel suite.

Yugi hated ill feeling between people and was never one to leave a conflict unresolved. He was keen to smooth things over and tell Kaiba there was no hard feelings on his part. He also found it difficult to understand why Kaiba hated losing games to him so badly. It was one thing to be a bad sport, but he felt Kaiba had taken it a little too far last night. Wasn't playing games supposed to be fun?

Ishizu on the other hand was concerned that the altercation with her brothers and Yugi over the poker game would change his mind about funding her students research.

She and Yugi were shocked to find out that he had checked out early in the morning and had already left Egypt on his private jet.

"Maybe we should contact him when we return to Japan in a few days," Yugi suggested. "I feel bad about what happened. Maybe I should give you the money I won from him," he sighed offering her the cheque.

"No! You won that money fair and square Yugi. I will not accept it," Ishizu was adamant.

"I wouldn't put it past that idiot to cancel the cheque anyway," Marik added. "So the quicker you bank it Yugi the better."

"Well, I will just have to hope he doesn't because I can't pay it into my bank until I get home anyway!"

Thanks to the injury to his hand he was unable to use the tools required for excavation work so he was given time off to go sightseeing. He decided to go and visit Atem's tomb.

He wasn't really sure how he felt as he followed the other tourists through Atem's tomb. It all seemed so impersonal the way people just wandered through, without barely a thought for the young King who had lain here undisturbed for three thousand years. As the people around him started to file back out, Yugi lingered. He felt he should have brought flowers or something – wasn't that what a son was supposed to do when visiting his father's grave?

Visiting Atem's tomb, in the Valley of The Kings, had been a strange experience and Yugi felt emotionally drained. He decided to get the bus back to the hotel. The pain killers the doctor had given him had worn off and his hand was starting to hurt. He also had the beginnings of a head ache caused by lack of sleep.

During the ride back, he had time to think about what Atem's life as a Pharaoh might have been like. The incident with Kaiba also started to play on his mind. In need of comfort, he turned his thoughts to Anzu.

It would be New Years eve tomorrow. Oh! How he wished he could be in New York with her. He really wanted to hear her voice and see her beautiful face. He desperately needed to feel her warm soft body against his as he kissed her lips. He closed his eyes and tried to imagine the taste of her mouth against his. The noise and chatter from the other people around him started to fade and he almost nodded off. The bus went over a bump in the road and he was jolted back into reality.

He decided to ring Anzu as soon as he was back at the house.

 **Expect even more tension next chapter!**


	19. Chapter 19

This is it folks! We're into the really serious stuff now! A big turning point in this story. Get the tissues ready!

Please be aware: There is some swearing and some sexual content – not explicit.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.

* * *

Broken Dreams

Chapter 19. Betrayal

In Japan, Atem and Mana were celebrating the New Year with their friends. Mai and Jonouchi had thrown a big party and they had invited everyone they knew.

The only notable absentees were Yugi, Anzu and Ishizu.

Because Japan was seven hours ahead of Cairo, their celebrations would over by the time Ishizu and Yugi would be seeing in the New Year.

At one in the morning, Mahado rang Ishizu at the family home near Luxor to wish her a happy New Year. Yugi was also there, as was Marik and Rishid. Ishizu laughed at the drunken revellers all shouting 'Happy New Year' in the background.

Ishizu put the phone on speaker so that her brothers and Yugi could be involved in the conversation.

She was unsure how much Mahado could actually take in with the loud music and the noise Jonouchi and Honda were making in the background. She began telling him that they had more or less finished their work and had successfully exhumed the mummy from the tomb. She mentioned the surprise visit from kaiba but refrained from telling him about the incident at the hotel.

She pursed her lips in slight irritation when Mahado started singing along with the others to 'Hi Ho Silver Lining.' It seemed that what Ishizu had been telling him had gone in one ear and out the other because he had drunk too much alcohol!

"Love you!" Mahado cooed in a very uncharacteristic, silly voice. Ishizu cringed when Marik sniggered and commented.

"About time Mr. Uptight let his up tights down."

"Marik, you are making fun of Mahado? Our sister is blushing," Rishid smirked.

Yugi accidentally let out a snort as he tried to stifle his laughter. He knew exactly what they meant, Mahado seldom let his fun side show.

"You three are horrible," Ishizu pouted. "Mahado is a very warm caring man. You should not poke fun at him enjoying himself!"

Jonouchi grabbed the phone and started talking to Yugi. "We all love ya dude! Party ain't the same without you and Anzu..." he slurred, making Yugi laugh.

After they finished the call, Mai tried to ring Anzu. New York was fourteen hours behind Japan, meaning it was two in the afternoon. Anzu was busy dancing in the matinee performance and did not pick up. "We can call her tomorrow," Jonouchi said brightly.

As the all night party continued on, Atem and Mana left to go back to Mana's house so that they could sit on the veranda and watch the sun come up together. It was a clear, cold night so they made mugs of hot chocolate and wrapped themselves in a duvet to keep warm as they snuggled up on the love seat.

The night sky was still littered with stars when they sat down but slowly the indigo turned to purples, pinks and then bright blue as the sun crept higher, eventually coming into view. The air was also just starting to feel a little less frigid.

This was the moment Atem had been waiting for. As the dawning of the new day arose, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. Throwing off the duvet he knelt down in front of Mana.

"Prince! What are you doing?! I was lovely and toasty and now I..." She stopped mid sentence when she realised what he was about to do.

He lifted the lid on the little blue velvet box. "Mana, will you marry me? You don't have to say yes immediately but..."

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" She reached forward, cupped his face in her hands and kissed him. "I will my Prince."

A big beaming smile broke out on his face and he heaved a sigh of relief. He had never felt so full of emotion as he did right now. He wanted to sing, dance, cry, run along the street shouting out that Mana had agreed to marry him. Instead he just flopped forward into Mana's arms and kissed her.

"Did Mahado agree to you asking?!" Mana suddenly had a horrible thought. Mahado liked to follow tradition, what if he had not asked for Mahado's permission first?

"Yes, I did and he was fine with me proposing," Atem confirmed.

The couple embraced. "Can we go to bed now?" She whispered in his ear. "Only I'm frozen cold out here."

Atem scooped her up in his arms and carried her inside.

What a great start to the New Year. He could not wait to tell his mother and grandfather, and of course Yugi. Maybe now that he and Mana were engaged, Yugi and Anzu would follow suit.

They had no idea of the events that were about to unfold!

::::::::::::

It was the first time Mokuba had ever been to New York with Seto. He was full of excitement and could not wait to explore. The post Christmas sales had already started and there were lots of people out hunting for bargains. The bars and restaurant were also full of people getting ready to celebrate the end of the old year and the beginning of the new one.

However, Seto was not interested in celebrating, which left Mokuba feeling extremely disappointed. It seemed that all Seto wanted to do was shut himself away in his private suite and spend his time sat at his laptop, working and brooding. Mokuba tried pleading with his brother, but it did not do any good.

To get Mokuba off his case, Seto arranged for one of the hotel employees to take Mokuba out sight seeing and shopping.

Now that the demon had persuaded its host to rid himself of that annoying little brat of a brother, he could implement his plan to ruin Yugi's life.

He knew the Mazaki girl was in New York to study dance at Juilliard, so that would be a good place to begin searching for information about her movements. It did not take him long.

Having found out that she was appearing in a Broadway show, he rang the theatre. Because it was New Years Eve the show was sold out.

However, as soon as he told them he was Seto Kaiba and explained that if they could arrange a private box for this evenings performance for him, as well as a backstage pass to meet the dancers, he would donate funds to repair the leaking roof, they agreed. What better publicity than to have a world famous, influential businessman take such an interest in their theatre!

Sitting in his private box watching the show, Seto could not help admiring the way Anzu moved. She really _was_ as good as he had been lead to believe. Pretty too! What the heck was she was doing dating that scruffy punk Mutou?

When the show ended, he smirked and clapped politely along with the rest of the audience. Time to put his plan into action.

Armed with a bouquet of flowers, he made his way to the dressing rooms and prepared to put on his most charming man persona.

"Miss Mazaki?" A stage hand entered the throng of tired but exuberant dancers; all still pumped from their performances. "Gentleman outside wishing to see you!"

"Oh! Did you ask who he was?"

"Erm.. No, sorry Miss.. With all the hullabaloo I forgot.. He's Japanese though." The stagehand was not a well educated or well informed man and had no idea who Seto kaiba was or what he looked like.

"Yugi!" Thinking Yugi had made a surprise visit, her face lit up. "Where is he?"

"This way Miss..." She followed the stagehand and her face dropped at the sight of a tall slim man in an expensive suit, holding a big bunch of flowers. "SETO KAIBA!" She recognised him immediately.

"Miss Anzu Mazaki. Honoured to meet you again." He bowed slightly and offered the bouquet.

"Kaiba! What do you want?" She was suspicious.

"For you to have dinner with me." It was said as a stated fact, as though he expected her to just agree to it.

"And if I say no?"

"You won't."

"Hmph! You think that just because you have money, I will automatically want to have dinner with you?" She decided to be as offensive as possible in the hope he would go away. "Well newsflash buster. I already have a boyfriend."

Seto smirked. "I like a woman with a bit of an attitude."

Just then, two of her fellow dancers came over. "Ooh... Anzu honey! If you don't want to go for dinner with this gorgeous man, then I will." One of the women flashed her eyelashes at Seto flirtatiously.

"I didn't ask you though, did I..?" He glared a the woman making her shrink back.

With his charming mask back in place, he turned to Anzu. "I am not asking you to spend the night with me, I asked you to have dinner. I thought that since we both come from the same Japanese City we might have a bit in common. Clearly I was wrong." He turned to go.

"Wait?! Just dinner?"

"Just dinner... And maybe a spin in my private helicopter..." He teased, grinning devilishly making the two girls with Anzu swoon and causing Anzu roll her eyes at their stupidity.

"Okay, I will have dinner with you. But don't try anything. I have pepper spray." Anzu decided that it would not do any harm to just have dinner. She had no intention of letting anything happen and she knew he also had a good reputation to uphold. But if he did try it on she would scream rape and it would be all over the newspapers that he mistreated women – his image would be torn to shreds.

He lead her to his chauffeur driven limousine and they were driven to his private suite on the top floor of the hotel he had owned since buying out Kujaku Enterprises. Below them, Anzu could see the city lights.

"Spectacular view from up here isn't it?" He stood behind her, just a little too close for her liking so she shifted sideways. He stepped forward and stood beside her. "For goodness sake Mazaki will you relax? I'm not a monster!" Little did either of them know!

"Just don't try anything, I'm with Yugi okay?"

"Hmph.." _Not for much longer._ He smirked to himself as he turned and walked over to an ice bucket, where champagne was already on ice. He picked up the bottle. "Champagne?" He started to open the bottle. "I trust that you are missing Japanese food? I have asked the chef to prepare a traditional Japanese meal."

"You had all this planned out already and just assumed I would say yes! Why go to such bother? I can get Japanese food in New York."

"I don't assume anything. But as a businessman, I plan for everything. The head chef I employ at this hotel has two michelin stars. I doubt you could afford to eat in his restaurant here."

"Smart-arse!" Anzu muttered under her breath. She took the champagne but vowed not to drink very much. She wanted to maintain her composure.

Surprisingly, she found herself enjoying the night and started to relax. The Kobe beef was exquisite and did remind her of home - Not that her family could afford to eat such an expensive steak very often. It had also been a while since she had talked in her native language and surprisingly Seto Kaiba was full of interesting conversation.

But he was not Yugi, and as the night wore on she started wishing that the man sitting opposite her was her adorable, lovable, sexy boyfriend. Seto noticed her mood change and guessed her mind was drifting away.

"Is everything okay?"

Anzu glanced at her watch and noted it was eleven thirty. She had a practice scheduled at eleven in the morning and was dancing in the show again at six in the evening. She needed to be fresh and awake. "It was a nice meal thank you, but I should go now." She stood up to leave.

Seto looked disappointed. "Why leave so soon? I thought we were getting on fine. And don't you want to watch the fireworks? The view from up here will be pretty good."

"I have to work tomorrow."

"Isn't it the holidays?"

"Yes, but I'm in a show! We have rehearsals from eleven in the morning and an evening show at six thirty."

"You are welcome to stay here tonight? My chauffeur will take you to home tomorrow morning."

"Nice try, but no."

"How about teaching me a few dance moves before you go?" He hit a switch and the music changed from light classical music to a jazzy dance track. Anzu laughed.

"You wanna dance to this?!" She had drunk a little more than intended and could not resist kicking off her shoes and jumping up to dance. "I'll show you how!" She knew she was showing off a little, but hoped that the fast complicated routine would put him off. Unfortunately, her plan backfired. He joined her and took the male lead, executing perfect dance steps.

Although not expecting it, Anzu was enjoying the chance to let off a little steam without being scrutinised or pulled up for any mistakes. It was just wild, crazy dancing.

The music ended with Anzu leaning back into his arms. He took her free hand and pulled her round to face him. Both were panting heavily from the exertion.

"Where did you learn to dance like that?!" Anzu gasped.

"My stepfather saw to it that I excelled in every area: Dance, music, martial arts, maths, science etc... I had a personal tutors and instructors coming out of my ears."

Anzu had barely noticed that his arm was now around her waist, pulling her into him. She suddenly felt vulnerable.

"Let me go!" She tried to pull away but he had a tight grip on her. She started to panic when some irresistible force started pulling at her and she was unable to fight it; as if she had no will of her own.

Before she knew what was happening, he was kissing her.

In his own mind, Seto did not want her not to leave. It was not often he relaxed and had fun and he felt as though the night was only just getting going. He was unaware that he was being possessed by an entity that had the ability to control his mind and was also capable of manipulating the minds of others, bending them to its own and to its hosts will: This was one of the many aspects of the demon inside him that he was completely unaware of. Instead, he found himself surprised by her compliance.

It was not long before he was steering her towards the large king size bed.

Anzu felt as though she were in a nightmarish dream, everything felt hazy and surreal. Was she really in bed with this man? It was not Yugi, so why was she doing this? It was not something she could answer or even bring herself to stop. The rhythm of his breathing against her neck as he rocked and thrust back and forward on top of her did not seem real.

There was a sudden stabbing pain in her neck, followed by a feeling of euphoria and the quickening of their heartbeats as they reached climax.

She felt his weight on her as he grunted his release and then went still. Suddenly, she found herself understanding what had just happened and could not stop a tear from rolling down her cheek. What had she done?!

She tried to move but her limbs didn't respond. Why did she suddenly feel so weak?

Leaving her laying motionless on the bed, Seto regained his own composure. What the heck just happened?

With the taste of blood in his mouth, he staggered into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. What he saw shook him to the core. The eyes staring back at him were dark navy pools of oil, his mouth was curled into a snarl and two sharp canines glistened. A small smear of blood coated the corner of his mouth and his skin looked grey, with dark veins bulging underneath. It was like looking at something out of the X-Files! He gasped. "What the fuck?! I'm a monster!" He raised his hand from the edge of the sink and cringed at the sight of thick black fingernails and leathery looking knuckles.

Hurriedly turning on the tap, he thrust his head into the sink and splashed himself with water.

Afraid to look in the mirror again, he stood slowly and tentatively glanced at his reflection. His usual face with its crystal clear blue eyes and creamy skin looked back at him. His teeth and hands seemed to have returned to normal as well.

Inside the demon was satiated – for now. In order to maintain its control over the host and grow in strength, it needed to feast on humans from time to time.

Usually the demon would kill the person it had drunk from but it had spared this young woman for some reason. Perhaps he would keep her as a slave for a few days, or maybe he would turn her into a companion by offering her his blood next time he fed. It would be helpful to have another demon ally to help gather the seven items and the one hundred sacrifices needed to be able to begin the ritual.

Feeling nauseous, Seto staggered back to bed and found Anzu curled up on her side. Tears stained her cheeks and she was trembling and sobbing quietly. He slipped into bed beside her and brushed her hair aside to check that he was not imagining things. Sure enough, there were two small pinpricks over her jugular and a bruise resembling a love bite. Fear suddenly gripped him as he realised that he _had_ actually drunk her blood! He ran back to the bathroom and vomited.

When he climbed back into bed, Anzu was asleep from exhaustion and blood loss.

::::::::::::

Yugi had been unable to reach Anzu. When he worked out the time difference he realised it was probably around midday or early afternoon in New York. He remembered that she was appearing in a show and would probably be dancing in the matinee performance at the moment. He went to bed and set his alarm for seven in the morning so that he could ring her at what would be midnight in New York so that he could wish her a happy New Year.

Waking up to the sound of his alarm, Yugi grabbed his phone and hit dial. Anzu still didn't answer! Maybe she was partying with her friends and had not heard it ring. He started to feel a bit down about it.

After lunch, he went up to his room to try again. It would be breakfast time in New York – surely she would hear her phone this time!

It rang several times before a man answered.

Seto Kaiba was woken from his restless sleep by a phone playing a stupid pop tune. Sitting up, he noticed the noise was coming from inside Anzu's bag, which was on the floor next to the bed. He bent down and picked it up. It was Yugi Mutou.

An evil smirk graced his lips and his eyes darkened once more as he answered. "Seto Kaiba speaking."

There was a moment of silence before Yugi could speak. "What..?! Is.. Is that Anzu's phone?"

"Yes, but she is sleeping at the moment. What do you want Yugi?" He said it with a hint of a sneer.

Yugi dragged his fingers through his hair. What the hell was Kaiba doing with Anzu's phone?! "What's going on?" His voice was stressed and a little shaky.

"What do you think you moron? She spent the night with me, I wore her out and she's asleep. She's obviously not used to having a real man." Oh how he wished he could see that idiot's stupid face right now.

Completely shell shocked, Yugi was struggling to speak. "Why?" He croaked as tears started to prick his eyes. On the other end, he heard Kaiba laugh and his temper flared. "You fucking bastard. Is this your idea of revenge?!"

"Oh, it's better than that Yugi!"

Hearing Kaiba talking to someone, had woken Anzu up. Her eyes went wide when she saw he was talking on her pink, bling encrusted I-Phone. She gasped when she heard him say Yugi's name. "No! Give me that?!" She screamed, snatching the phone from him. "Yugi!" She called out pleadingly.

"Anzu!" Yugi shouted her name and then paused as his words stuck in his throat. She heard him choke down his emotions and her heart broke when he spoke. "How could you?" His voice was dangerously low and full of hurt and anger.

"Yugi! I.. It's not what you think.. I didn't want to..." She trailed off. She didn't want to but she had and she couldn't justify herself. "I'm sorry!" She sobbed out the words and burst into tears.

Yugi said nothing. He just hung up.

Tears flowed down his cheeks as he stared at the bandage on one hand and his phone in the other. _How could she?_ "How could they?" He shouted and threw his phone at the wall with some force. The screen shattered apart, the battery and backing case bounced off the wall, leaving a scratch on the cream coloured decor.

In the room next door, Ishizu was just starting to wake up when she heard his shout followed by the thud of the phone hitting the wall. She hurriedly got out of bed, grabbed her dressing gown and rushed to his room. "Yugi! Is everything okay?" She called through the closed door.

Yes! No..! Go away."

"I'm not going away until I know you are okay Yugi. What's wrong? Can I come in?" There was no answer so she tentatively creaked the door open. "Yugi?" She blushed slightly at seeing him sat on the side of his bed, wearing just a pair of pyjama shorts. It was the first time she had noticed how toned and handsome he had become!

"Why?!" He groaned, turning to look at her.

She stepped into the room and was shocked to see him in tears.

"What happened Yugi?!" She worried that something terrible must have happened at home.

"Anzu broke up with me," he croaked flatly.

"Oh! I'm sorry." Ishizu hung her head. "I..." she did not know what to say. "If there's anything you need?" The anguished look on his face was breaking her own heart.

"She cheated on me with Kaiba! That bastard went straight to New York and took her from me to get his own back. How can anyone do something so low?"

"I don't know... I can't answer why. I didn't think even Seto Kaiba would be so vindictive?" She spoke softly. "Do you wish to go home? We have almost finished here anyway. I can arrange to bring our flights forward."

He nodded. "Thank you." He needed to be with his family, with people he trusted never to let him down.

::::::::::::

Anzu felt wretched. She tried to get out of bed, away from the man who had tricked her into this nightmare. He must have drugged her because there was no way she would have slept with him otherwise. When she stood up the room swayed and her legs felt weak which confirmed her suspicions. "What did you give me?" She steadied herself on the dresser before reaching for her clothes so that she could get dressed. God! How the heck was she going to dance this afternoon feeling like this?

"I didn't give you anything," he frowned. He was struggling to understand why he had just said what he did to Yugi. Sure, he was pissed at him for beating him at poker, but not so pissed that he would go and deliberately steal his woman and then gloat over it! He might be a cold hard businessman, but he was not the type of sleaze bag that stole his rivals wives or girlfriends! He had principles.

"I want to go home.." she hissed angrily.

"I will get my chauffeur to take you," he said quietly.

As soon as Anzu arrived back in her shared suite, she ran a nice hot bath. She cleaned her teeth and rinsed with mouthwash in an effort to rid herself of his scent and kisses. Wearily, she lowered herself into the water and tried to calm herself down. It did not help, more tears started to fall.

Thankfully, the other room mates were out. She really did not want to face any questions. After a long hot soak she got into her pyjamas and curled up with a bowl of soup. She had no energy and despite her bath, still felt cheap and dirty.

Her neck was sore. Examining it, she saw two small pin pricks. "What the!" She gasped. He must have injected some sort of date rape drug into her neck without her realising! But how? She didn't remember.

Having finished her soup, she curled up on her bed and cried herself to sleep.

Worried that she had not shown up for rehearsals, her friend Sally came back at around two in the afternoon to see where she was.

Anzu was woken by frantic knocking at her door. "Who is it?"

"It's Sally. We were worried when you didn't show up. You never miss classes!" Sally came into the room and stared in horror. "Geez Annie you look like shit!"

"Thanks," Anzu huffed. "I didn't get back until ten this morning. I ate something that was off and spent the night at Kaiba's apartment, throwing up!" She lied.

"Aww that's crap! Maddie and Jo told me that Seto Kaiba took you to dinner. What the heck did he feed you?! If that's what posh nosh does to you, you can stick it!" It took all of Anzu's will power not to burst into a fresh round of tears and tell her friend everything. This was one burden she wanted to carry on her own shoulders and deal with in her own time. She could not face telling anyone about it just yet.

"Can you get me some lucozade please? Or something, anything that will give me some energy. I'm gonna take a shower and get myself to rehearsals," Anzu said stoically.

"You sure? You look like you need to take some time off! One of the other girls can fill in."

"No! I won't ruin my career opportunities for some stupid mistake.. I mean tummy bug." She needed to work to take her mind of what had happened.

"Well, okay... Be right back." Sally went to the fridge and pulled out a can of red bull. "This was all that was in there."

"It'll do. I think I could use some wings right now anyway," she tried to joke, but it fell flat on her.

Despite eating and drinking, Anzu spent the rest of the day with a headache. She lacked any real sparkle and her dance moves felt laboured and heavy. She had no idea that it was because her body was trying to make up for the lost blood!

By some miracle, she managed to get through the show and was glad to get back to her bed and get some rest. Luckily, she had a day off tomorrow so that she could wallow in misery and hopefully recover her strength.

* * *

 **This was a pretty intense chapter to write! I can't believe I have been so cruel and broken Yugi and Anzu up!**

 **Please review to let me know what you thought.**


	20. Chapter 20

Here is the next chapter, in which everyone- with the exception of Atem and Mana - continues to suffer.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.

* * *

Broken Dreams

Chapter 20. Heartache

The next couple of days passed by in a haze of gloom for Yugi. Ishizu had been unable to bring their flights forward due to the busy time of year so they were forced to wait for their original flight.

Yugi was feeling antisocial and spent most of the time in his room, moping and trying to understand why Anzu would have done such a terrible thing!

Ishizu and her brothers tried to help him, but found him rather unresponsive. Being around him was awkward and in the end Marik and Rishid were glad when it was time for him to go home. They were less happy that their dear sister also had to leave.

The journey home was not very enjoyable. Yugi had retreated into himself and was barely talking unless he absolutely had to, making Ishizu rather concerned for his well being. He was usually so open, friendly and chatty but she could feel the wound up tension radiating from him and it frightened her that at any moment, the easy going young man might snap.

He almost did when someone tried to push in front of him in the queue for the check in desk, causing him to snarl and curse threateningly. Ishizu was quite frightened by his reaction. Luckily the man sheepishly apologised and retreated, otherwise Ishizu felt sure Yugi might have punched him, ending up in serious trouble with the Egyptian authorities!

"So what?!" He did not seem to care about what could happen to him. "I'm fed up with people walking all over me just because I'm soft and stupid," he growled.

"I'm sorry Yugi, I wish I knew how to help you, but please don't do anything that might get you into trouble," Ishizu said quietly. Yugi saw the fear on her face and instantly felt bad that by taking his anguish out on other people, he was making things difficult for Ishizu.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled.

It was a relief for Ishizu when Yugi fell asleep during the flight.

Back on Japanese soil, they were met at the airport by Mahado. Yugi skulked in the background as Mahado pulled Ishizu into his arms and kissed her. It was obvious to Yugi how much they had missed each other and it only served to make his insides twist into knots. He beat a hasty retreat to the restroom.

While Yugi was in the gents, Ishizu took the opportunity to quickly inform Mahado of what had happened.

"Would you like me to try and talk to him? I do deal with young people and their problems almost every day," he offered.

"I don't think Yugi is ready to talk to anyone about it yet. He is very defensive at the moment."

"Hmm... He needs to come to terms with it in his own time. Breakups like this can be very distressing for the person who has been cheated on." When Yugi returned, Mahado touched his arm lightly. "When you are ready to talk Yugi, I'm available okay?!"

"There's nothing to talk about," Yugi mumbled. "I have been cheated on and dumped by a woman I thought loved me! End of story."

He grabbed the handle of his case and marched out towards the car park. Ishizu and Mahado exchanged looks and Ishizu shrugged.

"I did warn you."

Arriving back at the game store, Yugi got out of Mahado's car. Mahado got out to speak to him as he pulled his case out of the boot of the car.

"I know we're not back at university for a few more days, but if you need to talk to me before then? Here's my number." He handed Yugi a card with his mobile phone number on.

"Thanks, but I'm fine. Bye Mahado, and thanks for the lift home." Scrunching the card up in his hand, Yugi turned away with an expression that said he was really _not_ fine and strode towards the shop.

Although the shop was open, he chose not to go in through the entrance to the shop. He knew his grandfather would be sat behind the counter and he really did not want to speak to him at the moment, so instead he used the other entrance that lead directly to the kitchen and living quarters.

Thankfully, no one appeared to be home.

"Is that you Yugi?!" Sugoroku heard the car pull up and was surprised when Yugi used the other entrance to the house. From inside the shop, he could hear Yugi shutting the upstairs door.

"Yes Grandpa! I'm pretty jet lagged. Going to have a bath and then sleep for a bit." He managed to make his voice sound normal. He knew he would have to face his grandfather at some point – just not right now.

He took his bag straight up to his room and unpacked, dumping the dirty clothing into the laundry basket.

He had not bothered to shave for the last week and his face was showing the beginnings of a rather scrappy looking beard. Feeling grubby, he shaved and then took a nice, long hot soak in the bath.

He finished drying his hair and dressed in a pair of jogging bottoms and a sweat top.

Deciding he needed some refreshments, he was just about to go downstairs to get something to eat and drink when he heard Atem come home with Mana.

"Where's Yugi? I can't wait to hear all about his trip to Egypt," Mana was giggling excitedly.

"Shhh.. don't shout. Grandpa said he was jet lagged and has gone up to his room to rest. We can talk to him when he wakes up."

"Oooh! And we have to give him our news!" She hugged her fiance' lovingly.

"Yeah, we have a lot of catching up to do. Yugi's only been away ten days but so much has happened. This is going to be one hell of an amazing year." Atem kissed her lovingly.

Yugi paused in his doorway at the sound of their happy banter. "Amazing! Like hell.." he growled to himself. The first few days of this year, were the worst ever in his opinion.

After standing there for several minutes, Yugi steeled himself. He knew that Mana would hear about his breakup with Anzu from Ishizu or Mahado. He did not want his brother to get it second hand so he had no choice but to get it over with now.

Putting on a forced smile, he trotted downstairs. He found his brother in the kitchen with Mana, making tea.

"Hi Yugi! Sorry, did we wake you up?" Atem asked.

"No, I wasn't asleep. I came down for a drink." He could not bring himself to say anything about his breakup, so he kept quiet.

"I'm making a pot of tea if you want some?" Atem offered.

"Yeah, thanks." Yugi was so thirsty, he poured himself a glass of water as well and gulped it down in one.

"We have so many exciting things to tell you Yugi!" Mana giggled excitedly. "But first, how was Egypt?" Mana could not wait to find out what he thought of her home land. Yugi did his best to try and appear his usual, happy self.

"Yeah, I liked it there. It's such an interesting place. We worked in a tomb that was only discovered a couple of months ago. I even helped to remove the mummy!" Mana was not keen on mummies and shivered, making Atem laugh and make a creepy, ghoulish face at her.

"Prince! Stop it!" She shrieked, slapping his arm. Even Yugi managed a weak chuckle at the pair of them.

"Anyway," Yugi continued, "I also visited the Valley of the Kings and saw our f... Atem's tomb," he corrected himself, "It was a pretty weird feeling." Yugi felt his voice crack slightly as he started to feel the knots inside his chest rising into his throat making him shudder. Atem thought that talking about the man they believed to be their father was the reason Yugi was getting upset.

"You were brave to go on your own Yugi. It is something we should have done together," Atem said quietly and with some regret about not having been there with Yugi.

"Yeah," Yugi tried to smile. "When you have some free time, we really should go. I didn't have the courage to visit his display in the museum on my own... I could not bring myself to see him like that... as a mummy." Yugi admitted.

"What did you do to your hand?!" With a quick change of subject, Atem gestured to the bandage on Yugi's hand.

"Oh this! It's nothing. I cut it on something sharp while I was working. Needed four stitches!" He had no intention of telling them the truth.

"Four stitches! That doesn't sound like nothing Yugi!" Mana gasped.

"Anyway Yami. How are things going here? What's happening about your international football selection." Yugi could feel himself falling apart and needed to talk about something that did not remind him of what had happened in Egypt.

"Yeah, I have been selected for the Japanese under twenty one team. I am going to be playing in a world cup qualifier against Australia next month, in Sydney! How about that?!" He grinned excitedly.

"Wow! That's awesome! I knew they would ask you. You're way too good not to be selected." Yugi was genuinely happy for his brother and for one moment, his own misery faded to the back of his mind.

It came back like a dagger to the chest when Mana slowly drew her left hand out from behind her back and waved it about, showing off the gold band containing three dainty diamonds.

"We also have something else to tell you," she smiled happily. "Prince asked me to marry him!"

Atem wrapped a proud, protective arm around her and grinned.

They looked so perfect standing there, holding each other lovingly. To Yugi, it almost felt as if they were gloating. His bottom lip trembled as he muttered. "When?" He sounded bitter.

"What do you mean?!" Atem was shocked at his brother's reaction. "New Years morning! You don't mind us getting engaged, do you? Is something wrong Yugi?!" He narrowed his eyes in concern.

"Of course there's nothing wrong," he huffed. "Why wouldn't I mind?!" He responded abruptly. He was trying very hard to be happy for them but he just felt sick. "I'm tired, I'm gonna go have a lie down. Con.. congratulations." He forced out the words and forgetting about his mug of tea, stomped out of the kitchen and ran up the stairs to his room, slamming the door.

"What was that about?!" Mana whispered tearfully. She was in such a happy place right now and thought Yugi would be pleased for them. His reaction hurt her feelings and she found it hard to understand why he would behave like that.

"I'm not sure," Atem muttered, frowning with concern.

"Do you think he's alright?" Mana worried.

"I don't think so... That is not how Yugi would normally behave. Something must have happened. Wait here while I find out," he ordered.

He quietly ascended the stairs and paused outside Yugi's room. He could not hear much apart from some muffled shuffling around. He knocked on the door. "Yugi, can I come in please?"

Yugi did not answer.

::::::::::::

Even though she had slept for twelve hours, Anzu still felt lifeless. She was light headed, queasy and starting to get desperately homesick. She put this down to emotional stress and a broken heart.

She tried to keep up her usual exercise regime but it was a struggle. She still had to get through four more shows and was not sure how she was going to do so. Her friends all kept commenting on how pale and tired she looked.

"I'm okay," She told them tersely – she was beginning to get irritated by all the fuss they were making.

"You're not okay Annie. What happened the other night? You have been miserable since that date with Kaiba! What did he do to you?!" Her friend Sally pushed.

"Nothing okay! Just get off my case," she snapped uncharacteristically. "I just have a bit of a virus or something, I will be fine in a few days."

It all came to a head when she fainted during the pre-show warm up. As she went to perform a cabriole the room started spinning. White stars filled her vision and the next thing she knew, she was laying on the floor with someone gently lifting her to sit.

"Anzu!" Voices sounded like they were coming from a long way off and she slowly started to grasp what had happened. "You fainted," the choreographer was saying. "I am sending you to the medical centre to get checked out."

"No! I will be okay, just give me a minute," Anzu slurred shakily.

"No sweetheart, you're not going on stage like this," she was told firmly.

Anzu was devastated that she was not going to be in this afternoon's show. She was a fighter and also conscientious in her work. She was letting the team and herself down. "Please, I just need to rest," she pleaded desperately. But when she tried to stand a wave of nausea hit and she started to sway. She was unable to stand without being supported.

"I can walk!" She snapped at Sally and another girl who were holding onto her as she was taken to see the nurse.

"We are not letting go, you're all over the place," Sally scolded.

A blood test quickly confirmed she was very anaemic and in need of a blood transfusion. Lots of tests were done to ascertain the reason for her drastic blood loss but no internal bleeding was found. It was concluded that she was training and working too hard while fighting a virus. They were also concerned that she may not be eating properly either.

Sally was quick to explain that Anzu had a very healthy appetite. As soon as the doctor left the room she turned to Anzu, demanding some answers.

"Okay Annie, what's wrong? You've been a basket case the last couple of days. You keep snapping at your friends and you are unhappy. Please... talk to me? I'm your friend." She took Anzu's hand and squeezed it gently.

There was a moment of hesitation before Anzu burst into tears.

"I.. I did something terrible.. Yugi broke up with me!"

"What?! But I thought you two loved each other!"

"Yes," she sniffed, "we do, but... I hurt him so badly... He sounded so angry and..." She started sobbing so hard that she could no longer speak.

Sally did her best to comfort her and eventually Anzu calmed down enough to explain what had happened that night.

"My god! No wonder you're so miserable! That bastard must have given you a date rape drug! He's so rich and powerful he must think he's above the law! You need to report what happened," Sally said angrily.

"But how can I prove it? It will be out of my system now so it's my word against his. I was so gullible and such an easy lay. It makes me sick to think about it."

"You must ring Yugi and explain. There must be a way for you two to work through this!"

"I'm halfway across the world! How can I get him to speak to me?! God! I feel so awful. You haven't met Yugi, he's such a sweet guy; so caring and sensitive. He doesn't deserve to be to be subjected to what I put him through. You should have heard the hurt and anger in his voice... He slammed the phone down on me and I don't blame him!"

"You have to at least try! I will stay with you, okay?!"

"Okay.." Anzu nodded weakly.

The following morning, Anzu was released from the medical centre. Sally was determined to try and get Anzu to at least talk to Yugi.

"I don't think I can." Anzu's hand was trembling as she looked at Yugi's picture icon on her phone.

::::::::::::

"Yugi! Can I come in?" Atem hammered on the door again and called to his unresponsive brother.

"Leave me alone Yami," Yugi called threateningly, making Atem feel even more concerned for his well being.

"I'm not leaving! I'm coming in..." Atem shook his head to himself and ignoring Yugi's request, opened the door. "Yugi What's..?!." He paused when he saw his brother sitting on the bed, back against the wall, with his knees pulled up to his chest and his head resting on his arms, which were folded over his knees.

Yugi looked up and rubbed his hand across his tear stained face. He glared at Atem, who was standing there looking worried. "I told you to leave me alone," he hissed.

"I won't leave you. Not when you're like this!" Atem knelt on the bed beside him and touched his shoulder. "What happened?" He asked softly. Yugi was embarrassed and responded by turning his face away. Atem stayed there and waited for him to open up.

After a few moments Yugi faced him. "How could she Yami? We confessed our undying love for each other and she... she just..." Yugi just managed to force out the words as he started sobbing.

"Yugi!" Atem could feel his brother's pain and anguish. They may not have spent very much time together lately, but as twins who had once shared a womb together, their souls would forever be bonded. He wrapped his arms around Yugi and hugged him close as though they were back in the safety of their mother's womb.

After a few minutes, Yugi seemed to calm down a little. He lifted his face from his brother's shoulder and mumbled horsely. "I'm such a cry baby..."

"No you're not! Cry as much as you like, get it all out – I won't tell anyone." He patted Yugi on the back and pulled away slightly, resting his hands on Yugi's shoulders and looking into his face with all the kindness and loving concern a close twin would show. "Do you want to tell me what happened?"

"Not really," Yugi shook his head. "I feel so stupid and humiliated. I rang her to wish her a happy new year and Kaiba answered."

"Kaiba?!"

Just at that moment, Yugi's phone rang. They both looked at it on the dresser. Atem noticed that the screen was cracked and the casing was held on with gaffer tape. He was surprised it still worked! "Do you want to answer that?" Atem wondered.

Yugi huffed and reached over to grab his phone.

"It's Anzu!" Atem spoke as they both stared at the caller id. Yugi rejected the call. A minute later the phone beeped to say he had a message. _I still love you. I'm so sorry. Please Yugi? I need to talk to you. x_ Yugi huffed and deleted the message.

"Do you want to tell me what happened Yugi?"

Reluctantly, Yugi told him his side of the story: How Kaiba and Mokuba showed up at the dig site. The card game that turned nasty when Kaiba lost his temper and threw him across the table, resulting in the cut to his hand. And lastly, his phone call to Anzu which had been answered by a gloating Kaiba. Atem was horrified.

"I'm so sorry Yugi. I don't know what to say! I thought she loved you... If there is anything I can do to help?"

"I thought she loved me too," Yugi said sadly. "Thanks Yami, but I don't think anyone can help with how I feel right now."

Sugoroku appeared in the doorway. "Is everything okay Yugi? Only Mana said you were not feeling very well so I came to check...!" He was shocked to see Yugi's tear stained face. Atem quickly explained what had happened.

"Oh!" Sugoroku looked sad as he sat down. "I know it's probably not much help right now Yugi, but this old man has a bit of experience when it comes to a broken heart. Trust me, it will get better. When I had my heart broken I thought the world had ended, but then I met your grandmother and I realised that she was my one true love."

"I appreciate you trying to help Grandpa, but nothing will make me feel any better. I have tried to think about what I might have done wrong for her to do something like that. I have also tried to hate her, but however hard I try I just can't stop loving her. She _is_ my true love," Yugi said miserably.

"Well, there is something that might help to take your mind off it a little. How about your favourite chocolate cake?" He suggested hopefully. Yugi ignored him so he tried again. "Your mother made it specially for you coming home."

"I guess it can't make me feel any worse." Yugi gave him a cross between a frown and a half smile.

"Come on then." Sugoroku patted him on the shoulder.

Atem jumped off the bed and offered Yugi his hand. "Do you remember when we were little and we said we would always be partners."

"Yeah, we got caught picking apricots from a neighbours tree and you said we were partners in crime." Yugi smiled a little at the memory and accepted the hand offered.

"That's right." Atem pulled him to his feet. "Come on then partner!" Atem slung his arm around Yugi's shoulder and gave him a reassuring hug. "Grandpa is right, It might take a while but you will get over it eventually."

"I really don't think I ever will," Yugi sighed, shaking his head.

"Well, we're all here for you. So if there is anything we can do to help please don't hesitate to ask."

"There is one thing you can do for me?! Don't tell Jonouchi who Anzu cheated with, he would only go and confront Kaiba and get himself in trouble."

"Yeah, I will keep quiet. I will make sure Mana doesn't say anything either. But you will have to tell him at some point. Mai works for Kaiba so she is bound to find out."

Yugi was quiet, he hadn't thought of that.

::::::::::::

Anzu was distraught but not at all surprised that Yugi would not talk to her. She really had hoped that he would at least give her the opportunity to explain.

"Let me try speaking with him?" Sally suggested. "He doesn't know me so it's worth a shot."

"I don't know, I think we should just leave him to calm down. I know Yugi and he can be stubborn. He will only talk to me when he is ready."

"Just let me try? If he won't speak to me, I promise to not push it. Only I can't stand seeing my friend so upset." Sally gave her a pleading look.

"Okay." Anzu let out a huge sigh of resignation.

Yugi was enjoying his huge chunk of chocolate cake. He had not eaten very much the last few days because every time he thought about Anzu his stomach kept twisting into knots. When his phone rang again with an unknown number, he was caught off guard. "Oh!" He assumed it was a nuisance telemarketing call or something. He was in the mood to be rude to some poor call centre employee so he answered it without thinking. "Hello!" He said abruptly.

"Is that Yugi Mutou?" Sally was shocked that he answered so quickly.

"Yes," he barked making Atem, Mana and Sugoroku raise their eyebrows in surprise.

"You don't know me, my name is Sally and... well, I'm a friend of Anzu. I just..." She paused when she heard him sigh in annoyance on the other end of the line. "Please, don't hang up Anzu needs to tell you...?"

"Tell her to leave me alone..." Yugi raised his voice so that he was talking over her and ended the call without letting her continue.

"Damn! He didn't give me chance to say anything," Sally groaned. She had felt sure that he might have given Anzu a second chance had he known that she had been drugged.

"It's okay Sally," Anzu hugged her friend. "Thank you for trying. But if you don't mind, I would like to get some sleep now. I think we should do as Yugi asks and leave him alone for a while."

Nodding reluctantly, Sally left her to rest. She was determined not to let it go completely and would do her best to try and mend her friend's broken relationship.

::::::::::::

Having slept and recovered from her jet lag, Ishizu told Mahado all about her trip to Egypt.

Now that she had time to think about the events following the exhumation of the priest's mummy, she was starting to have concerns.

Mahado listened with a serious expression while she told him about how the mummified priest had a large stone placed in his mouth and how the stone had become dislodged.

He waited until she had finished talking before he spoke. "And you say that there was no evidence of any demonic possession?" She shook her head.

"I don't think so."

"Okay," he continued. "You didn't notice any strange change in atmosphere or in anyone's behaviour after the rock dislodged from its mouth?" She shook her head slowly and frowned as she started to recall events in detail.

"Well," she hesitated. "Now that you mention it, I did feel a cold chill. Yugi noticed it as well. I thought it was a gust of cool air from outside. It was approaching late afternoon and the temperature was starting to drop as it often does at this time of year. Seto Kaiba did behave oddly after we extracted the mummy. He had a sort of convulsion, but shrugged it of as a tummy upset he had been suffering from."

"And how was his behaviour afterwards?"

"His usual caustic self! We had dinner with him in the evening and he seemed... normal." She paused for a moment and a nagging concern started to well up in her gut. "It might be nothing... but later that night, after I went to bed, they played cards and apparently he was aggressive towards Yugi because Yugi beat him. Marik tells me he got quite angry and threw Yugi across the table. I didn't see him after that, he left for New York. And then, to be spiteful, he seduced Yugi's girlfriend. At the time, I was more concerned about the cut to Yugi's hand and his state of mind. I was also angry with Marik for disobeying my wishes and arranging the card game."

Mahado raised his eyebrows. "We should be on our guard. I will arrange a meeting with Seto Kaiba when he returns to Japan so that I my judge his behaviour. I think it is also time you started to wear the Tauk again. I should also wear the Ring for my meeting with Kaiba. It will help me to sense if there is a demon inside him."

"What about Yugi and Atem? Should we start preparing them yet? And Mana! She and Atem have only just become engaged! She is bound to want to help him!"

"I intend to keep Mana safe and out of harms way. I am sure Atem will want to protect Mana as well."

"But her heka is growing stronger and with Atem's influence she is getting much better at controlling it. If she was to help, perhaps she could assist Atem and Yugi in accessing their own heka, it would allow her to feel involved." Ishizu suggested.

"Hmm, that is one possibility," Mahado nodded. "Let us hope it doesn't come to that."

Ishizu let out a long sigh. "Just when I thought we were all safe and everything was going to be fine. I have made a grave error of judgement in letting my guard down." Ishizu could not help but blame herself. If only she had known that it was Aknadin's mummy before they started work in the tomb! If only she had been more careful with the mummy during its extraction. She remembered reading in the scrolls that Aknadin was part of the same ruling dynasty Pharaoh Atem had belonged to, and had turned against his family. He had been defeated in the battle in which Atem also died. He had not been buried in his intended tomb but had been placed elsewhere, and Pharaoh Set had ensured the location was kept unknown. Now she knew why!

"You must not blame yourself Ishizu," Mahado soothed. "None of the scrolls stated that the priest would be part of the prophecy or that he was cursed."

"No, but we knew that he had been the one to use dark alchemy to forge the Millennium items...What if the shadows poisoned his soul in some way! That could account for him turning against his own nephew."

"You were not to know who was buried in that tomb when you started work! So don't blame yourself!"

"I discovered his name after we cleared debris that had been piled up on top of his sarcophagus to keep it hidden should anyone enter the tomb! That was strange in itself. I should have halted the excavation but I didn't. I put Yugi and the Kaiba brothers at risk."

"Well, no one could have known that the evil would survive inside a corpse for so long. And punishing yourself is not going to make things better. First of all, we need to ensure Kaiba is not possessed and if he is, maybe we can help him without involving Atem,Yugi and Mana, or anyone else for that matter"

"Yes, lets hope that is possible." Ishizu smiled weakly and Mahado wrapped his arms around her in comfort.

::::::::::::

It had been a lonely New Year for Mokuba. His big brother had more or less abandoned him, leaving him with a woman called Marcia. She was very nice to Mokuba and had taken him to see the firework celebrations. But she was not Seto and Mokuba had really wanted to see in the New Year with his brother.

He did did not see Seto at all until the morning of January 2nd. Seto had locked himself in his private suite and had told Mokuba he was too busy with some urgent work that needed his attention, so Mokuba was left to entertain himself. It made him feel pretty miserable.

That particular morning, they shared a rather awkward breakfast together. Mokuba noticed that Seto seemed distracted and twitchy. He also had not bothered to shave, which Mokuba found completely out of character. Seto was always meticulous about his appearance and had always commented that men who did not bother to shave, or who grew beards, did so because they were lazy! Something seemed... off about his brother.

Seto sent Mokuba home on their private jet, KC1, telling Mokuba that he had business to attend to in New York and would be home in a few days.

Mokuba protested, but Seto told Mokuba that he could not stay in New York because he had to go back to school. Unfortunately, Mokuba could not argue against his brother.

But when Mokuba arrived home to find that no transport had been sent the airport to collect him he started to worry about his brother's mental health. He phoned the mansion to ask for a car to be sent to collect him and discovered that Hobson was unaware he would be returning that day! This added to Mokuba's concern – Seto always took great care in making sure his younger brother was being cared for in his absence.

What was going on?!

* * *

 **Not a happy chapter!**

 **Please review.**


	21. Chapter 21

Things go from bad to worse when Yugi gets drunk. And Kaiba's also feeling the effects of his demon possession. Let's hope Ishizu and Mahado have some sort of plan.

Warning: Drinking games and adult themes. Mentions of pornography, sexual activity and murder – I have kept it T rated though.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh. I do claim ownership of my oc's in this chapter.

* * *

Broken Dreams

Chapter 21 One Drink Too Many!

Yugi spent the next few days moping around the house and not bothering to eat properly, shave or wash. Sugoroku decided it was time to talk to him again. He would be going back to university tomorrow and needed to pull himself together. He found Yugi in his room playing Duel Monsters online. "Can I talk to you Yugi?" Sugoroku sat down on the spare chair. Yugi shrugged and carried on with his game. "I came to see how you are doing?"

"I'm fine," he said, without any emotion.

"Are you?! You haven't been taking care of yourself and you go back to university tomorrow."

"I know. I will have a bath tonight."

"You are not the first man to have his heart broken you know. Take it from an old man who knows..." He paused when Yugi let out an irritated sigh.

"Yeah.. you already told me about meeting Grandma." Realising that he had just been rude and offhand with his grandfather Yugi stopped playing his game. "I'm sorry Grandpa." Feeling ashamed, he looked at the floor.

"That's okay Yugi, I'm not offended. You and Anzu have known each other since you were children so it is understandable you would feel sad." Sugoroku smiled at his grandson sympathetically.

Yugi frowned and looked up. "I hate feeling like this Grandpa. It's not so much that we split up, it's how it happened."

"I know you refused to talk to her when she called, but you might find it helps if you do."

Yugi shook his head. "I have thought about it, but I don't know what to say! I feel angry, hurt and confused. I still love her and if I talk to her, I might tell her how much I love her and then she might laugh at me!"

"Why would she laugh at you Yugi?"

"I dunno," he shrugged. "Because she likes Kaiba now!"

"You don't know that! It might have been an accident."

"Hmph! Some accident! You don't just accidentally sleep with someone!" His voice raised an octave as he almost shouted.

"People _do_ make mistakes Yugi. You are usually willing to forgive people and you try to look beyond their mistakes to find the good in them. What changed?"

"I don't know.. Maybe this is just too painful for me to deal with just yet. I still feel too heartbroken. I want to forgive her, but I don't know if things can go back to how they were. I really _hate_ this feeling Grandpa!" His voice started to become tense and desperate. Sugoroku reached forward and squeezed his shoulder.

"I know that right now it feels like your heart will never mend, but you _will_ recover eventually. Whether or not you and Anzu can sort this out, only time will tell. But you still have your friends and a family who love and care for you. We are all here for you." He patted his grandson's shoulder and got up.

"Thank you Grandpa."

As he watched his grandfather leave his room, the corner of Yugi's mouth twitched upwards in an attempted smile. He wanted to believe Grandpa's words but doubted he would ever be happy and carefree again.

::::::::::::

In New York, Anzu was not faring any better than Yugi was. She had recovered from her anaemia and to keep her mind off her relationship breakup, she threw herself back into her dancing.

She found that all the time she was busy, she could cope. It was only when she was back in her room, alone, that she would start to re-live the events over and over in her mind. Why had she agreed to have that meal with Kaiba in the first place? If only she had stuck to her guns and said no, it would never have happened and she and Yugi would still be together. She did not even find Kaiba attractive in that way!

She had let herself down, she had let Yugi down... and her friends – what must they all be thinking?

Jonouchi would probably kill Kaiba if he found out! Jonouchi would probably want to kill her too! She doubted any of them; Atem, Mana, Honda, would ever speak to her again – unless Yugi forgave her and asked them not to hold a grudge against her. He always forgave people, but right now, she did not think she really deserved his forgiveness. She still needed to explain the truth about why it happened and tell Yugi how much she still loved him. Would he listen? She wanted to believe that he eventually would.

Thinking about losing Yugi for good, brought tears to her eyes. Was it still too soon to try and ring him again? It had been three days since she last tried to ring him and she had hoped he might have calmed down and called her back by now, but he was obviously still angry with her.

If she knew Yugi as well as she thought she did, then he was probably putting on a brave face but still hurting inside. She knew that he was not the sort of person to just leave something unresolved, he hated ill feeling and always liked to see things put right. This was all her fault so maybe it was her responsibility to fix this mess.

Her finger hovered over the dial icon for a moment but she could not bring herself to ring him. Maybe she would try tomorrow!

::::::::::::

When Mahado rang Seto Kaiba's secretary, he was shocked to hear that Seto Kaiba had not returned from New York as planned.

Ishizu looked on with concern as Mahado frowned and spoke to the person on the other end of the line. "Okay, thank you. Yes, I will speak to Master Mokuba. Ah ha.. got that." He scribbled down the number of the mansion and hung up. He turned to Ishizu. "Seto Kaiba did not return from New York with his younger brother Mokuba. He's missed two important meetings already! They have tried to contact him about it but he is not replying to any messages. Apparently, the younger Kaiba is quite upset about it."

"Perhaps we should speak to Mokuba since he was the last to see him," Ishizu suggested.

"That would be a good place to start," Mahado agreed.

Mokuba was desperate to find out what was wrong with his brother, and hoping they might be able to help, invited them for a meeting at the mansion, immediately.

As soon as they arrived they were invited in and taken to a private study, where Mokuba was waiting.

"Please! Tell me what has happened to Seto?" Mokuba pleaded as soon as they entered.

"I apologise, but I am afraid we are unsure. I was hoping you might be able to tell us a little about your brother's behaviour since visiting Egypt." Ishizu smiled warmly so as not to alarm the young teen.

"Oh.." Mokuba glanced at his feet dejectedly. "Seto isn't himself... I thought you might help?!"

"We believe we might be able to help your brother, but we need to find him first. We were hoping you might know where he is," the Mahado said softly.

Mokuba looked up again! The woman was there when his brother first started to act strangely, he was certain she knew what was wrong with Seto, but why was she not telling him? "Was it something in the tomb?! Did he get a curse or something?!" Mokuba's own mind had been working overtime since he had arrived home.

"There is a possibility that something from the tomb is causing him to behave abnormally," Ishizu confirmed.

"I knew it! That mummy _was_ cursed." Mokuba sucked his bottom lip and tears filled his eyes. "Please, you have to help him?" He started to cry.

"I believe we can. But first, I need you to tell me everything you observed about your brother's behaviour that was different." Ishizu needed to know how dangerous the creature they were dealing with might be.

"I.. I don't know. He kind of avoided me," Mokuba sniffed. "But he did appear more casual. Even when he doesn't wear a suit, he still dresses real smart. And he shaves every day. But he was scruffy and unshaven, like he didn't care."

"What about his behaviour?" Ishizu continued.

"Yes, did you find he was acting differently; such as violent outbursts, strange habits or tastes," Mahado added.

"I don't know, I hardly saw him. He did drink something that looked like blood on the flight going to New York. When I asked him what it was, he told me it was beetroot juice and that it was good for his health! – he hates beetroot. He also ate an almost raw steak! He usually likes it medium to rare, but never blue!"

"Thank you Mokuba." Mahado glanced knowingly at Ishizu.

"Do you think you can cure him?!" Mokuba pleaded.

"If he is still in New York, I believe so. We will need to leave as soon as we possibly can, before he moves on," Ishizu replied.

"I will come with you!"

"Don't you have school Mokuba?" Mahado did not really want the young teen to be there when they pulled the demon from Seto's body and returned it to the Shadow Realm. Mahado might need to use his most powerful heka, it would be a very terrifying ordeal for those witnessing it. And if the demon was as powerful as they believed, Seto might not survive.

"Yes, but Seto is more important than school!" Mokuba insisted.

"I would rather you did not get involved Mokuba," Mahado stated firmly.

"You are relying on my private jet to get you there so you can't stop me!" He pouted like a spoilt child. This was important to him, a little of his Kaiba attitude would help him get his own way.

"It seems we have no choice," Ishizu sighed. There was no arguing with a Kaiba! "But you must promise to let us deal with your brother. It is probable that he is under the influence of an entity that is very dangerous." Reluctantly, Mokuba nodded. "Good! We will speak with the university and explain we have a family emergency in Egypt. Hopefully, we can arrange some compassionate leave. Since we are unable to convince you not to come, you will also need to inform your school that you will not be attending for the next few days."

"Oh, don't worry about that, I'm a Kaiba, the school will do whatever I say," Mokuba replied smugly, making Mahado roll his eyes.

Leaving Mokuba to arrange the flight to New York, Ishizu and Mahado got up to leave.

"We will do whatever we can to help your brother, I promise," Ishizu smiled softly.

Due to a terrorist threat causing issues with flights being disrupted into the United States, they were unable to get a flight plan logged for two days. Mokuba was not happy – he was impatient to rescue Seto, but according to the flight captain, it was unavoidable. Even Kaiba Corp could not influence American airspace.

::::::::::::

The demon was adjusting nicely to its new host and it was becoming far easier to control Seto's behaviour now that his body was not fighting to reject the possession.

The world in which the demon had re-awakened was very different from the one it had known previously. From what it could make out through its new host, some three thousand years had passed since it had last walked the earth and there were lots of new things it did not understand. However, it quickly discovered that the computer was a fantastic place to learn about this modern world.

With the help of its host, it very quickly discovered the dark web. Smirking happily, demon Seto laced his hands together and cracked his knuckles. There were millions more humans than there had been three thousand years ago, and it appeared that this world was full of even more depravity, greed, hatred and social unrest than it had known previously – It was almost a shame to destroy it!

But destroy, it must. The shadows were hungry and had been waiting an eternity to break free from their confinement, and all these tasty human souls were just begging to be feasted upon. It would be shadow nirvana. And this host was perfect for obtaining its goal. Unlike the previous host, which was weak minded and old, this one was young, healthy and had a strong mind and body. It was also very wealthy, which was a bonus.

Something was definitely not right! Seto Kaiba felt different. For some reason, he no longer wanted to spend his time working! He did not even care about Mokuba any more and his personal tastes had also changed.

Was he developing some sort of psychosis or schizophrenia? Because he felt like he was changing into someone, or something else; something frightening, that craved human souls by consuming their blood! He was also experiencing an increased sexual appetite!

Pornography was not something Seto ever felt the need to indulge in, so why was he sitting at his laptop looking at it? He tilted his head to make sense of the image he was viewing. Good grief! Was that even possible?! The demon now in control of him wanted to find out.

Seto briefly fought to regain himself and slammed his laptop shut – there was no way he was doing anything like that! His efforts were in vain; it was like he was viewing himself from under water and every time he tried to break the surface he was being pushed back under. When he tried to shout and be heard, all that came out were a series of bubbles. His lungs were filling with water and he felt as if he was drowning. The only safe place left for him was to retreat into the sanctity of his soul room.

Seto stood up and rotated his shoulders to release the tension and smirked. He did not really give a dam what his straight laced, pompous self thought. He was young and had already wasted more than enough of his life studying and working. He needed to have fun! He needed a drink! He needed another victim.

Grabbing his trench coat, he made his way out into the seedier side of the city in search of something to satisfy his cravings.

His designer stubble, tight fitting black jeans, black roll neck sweater and silver/blue trench coat gave him the appearance of a Gothic vampire. He was tall, imposing and confident. The added accessories of belts and steel toe capped boots with leather straps and buckles only added to his mysterious appeal. He was no longer Seto Kaiba, the immaculately turned out businessman! He was dark and dangerous.

He entered a seedy backstreet strip club, purchased a bottle of whiskey and sat down at a table to watch the strippers.

Spotting an attractive, scantily clad young woman, who was waiting the tables, he smirked. She would do nicely. As she cleared glasses from the table next to him he deftly lifted her short skirt and slipped a 100 dollar bill into her thong. She turned to observe him and he winked at her.

No one noticed as she left the club with him, unaware of the grizzly fate that awaited her. Most of the people in the club were too drunk to notice or even care.

The following day, she was found naked and lifeless, dumped among the shrubs in Central Park. Her body had been drained of blood and her soul consumed by the darkness.

Police were left baffled, unable to explain or understand the unnatural appearance of her death. With no leads, they were forced to put her case file to one side and keep it secret for fear of alarming the public. All they could hope for was that this was an isolated incident.

::::::::::::

It was the first day of the new term and Yugi was not sure how he felt as he drove to university. Part of him felt that he should just behave as if nothing was wrong and pretend that he and Anzu were still a happy couple, while the rest of him just felt numb. Maybe the part that wanted to act as if nothing was wrong was the small part that hoped there was still a chance they could sort through this and get back together.

But it worried him that Anzu had not tried to ring him again. He was surprised that she had given up that easily! The only explanation he could think of was that Anzu was dating Kaiba now and was no longer bothered about him. Well, if that was the case, he was not going to give in and call her, just to give them the satisfaction of twisting the knife into his heart a little deeper.

He was also tired of being the nice guy. Nice guys just got used and trodden on. So screw it! From now on he would do as he pleased and not bother about other peoples feelings.

However, by the time he got to class, his mask had slipped again and he was feeling anxious. He found himself trying to hide away in the corner to avoid having to talk to people. It was almost as if he was reverting back to his old self; the fifteen year old Yugi, who was shy, timid and afraid to assert himself.

Thinking he had found a secluded place in which to eat his lunch, he sat down. He used to be good at making himself seem invisible, but was obviously out of practice these days, as one of his fellow students, Akito, who he got on quite well with, had managed to follow him from the canteen.

Yugi had just sat down to peel the lid off his bento box when Akito found him and sat down on the bench next to him. "What's up man? You have been avoiding people all day!"

Yugi shrugged, they would find out eventually, so he might as well tell the truth. "I split up with my girlfriend Anzu over the holidays."

"No way! That hot little dancer you told us about?! I thought you two were as good as married!" He paused when he saw the hurt on Yugi's face. "Sorry, that was a bit insensitive of me."

"Nah, it's okay. My friend Jonouchi was pretty straightforward about it too. He wanted to give her a piece of his mind. Luckily Mai stopped him from doing anything silly."

"Sucks eh?! Women! I will never understand them. My last girlfriend let me spend a fortune on her for her birthday and then dumped me."

"Anzu's not like that! I don't know why she did it, but she went off with another guy."

"Ouch! That's a kick in the balls."

"Yeah, it sure is. It's left me so confused. I thought she loved me. She kept telling me she did. I just wish I knew what I did wrong." He was struggling to keep the hurt from his voice. "Maybe if I hadn't gone on that trip to Egypt and had gone to see her like we originally planned, we would still be together. But she told me I had to go because it was an opportunity I shouldn't miss."

"Perhaps she told you to go because she was already seeing this other guy."

"No... I know she wasn't. It's a long story, but he was in Egypt with me." He went on to explain briefly what had happened. Akito listened and then came up with a solution.

"You know what Yugi?!" Yugi looked at him blankly. "There's a party next Saturday at one of the graduate houses. Couple of my mates have invites and have asked me to go. Why don't you come? It will do you good – help you forget."

Yugi shook his head. "I'm not really into parties, I don't drink much. And even though I dated a ballerina I'm a crap dancer." They both laughed.

"See, you're cheering up already. Come to the party Yugi. I can guarantee it will be fun. Those graduates can be crazy."

"No... I.."

"Come on! Come to the party? If you're not enjoying yourself you can always go home. Well?!" Akito fixed him with an 'I won't take no for an answer' look.

"Well," Yugi hesitated, "I guess it can't do any harm." He knew his friend would not let him off the hook that easily.

Saturday night arrived, and Yugi found himself reluctantly getting ready. He really wanted to back out and just stay indoors brooding and playing games on his own. He had considered asking Jonouchi to come along with him, but when Mai said they were busy he didn't bother to ask. And besides, he doubted Jonouchi would enjoy the company of students very much.

"How long are you going to be in there?" Atem hammered on the bathroom door. "I need to get ready to go out too you know!" Atem shoved the door open to find Yugi brushing his teeth and with a towel still wrapped round his waist after having just come out of the shower. "Hey! Who are you getting cleaned up for? Good to see you're getting back out there."

Yugi's shoulders sagged. He spat out his toothpaste and turned round. "I'm being dragged out to a party. I don't know why I said yes because I really don't feel like going."

"It will do you good. Help you forget about her."

"That's what Aki said. I guess I can try. If I'm not enjoying it I can always sneak away early and come home."

Twenty minutes later, Yugi was sat in the back of a tatty old Toyota, being driven to the party by one of Aki's friends.

As soon as they arrived, he wondered what the hell he was doing there. Apart from Aki, he didn't know anyone.

Someone offered him a beer and he took it. _A couple of beers won't hurt,_ he told himself.

"Hey, you're Atem Mutou aren't you? I'm Danny Ito." A boy of around nineteen, with hair gelled to appear as if he had just got out of bed offered a handshake. Yugi looked at him blankly.

"Erm.. no! I'm Yugi, his twin brother."

"Oh! Sorry man! Only you look just like him! I'm guessing you two are identical twins."

"Almost... Some people can just about tell us apart. How do you know my brother? I don't remember you from school."

"I used to play football with Atem when we were in junior high. I gave it up but I see he's playing professionally for Domino FC now! I always thought he would do well."

"Yeah, he has been selected to play for Japan's under twenty one national team, in a world cup qualifier against Australia in three weeks."

"Wow! That's awesome! He's not here with you, is he?" He asked hopefully.

"No," Yugi shook his head.

"Who'd you come here with?"

"Aki. He's in my history class."

"Ah... your one of Aki's friends. Aki's my cousin. Let me guess, he left you on your own while he chats up some chick and you don't know anyone?" He chuckled and Yugi also laughed a little.

"Something like that."

"Come on I will introduce you to a few people." He took Yugi over to a group of art students.

One of the people he introduced Yugi to was a girl, whom Yugi found quite attractive, called Kimiko. She seemed to rather like Yugi. By the time he was introduced to her he had gulped down his first drink and was on his second, so he was feeling more relaxed.

It turned out that Kimiko was a keen gamer and they were soon chatting away about their love of games. She seemed to be drinking quite quickly and soon Yugi was on his third drink. "What's that you're drinking." He gestured to the glass containing a brownish liquid that looked like coke.

"Here, try it?." She handed him the glass. He sniffed it and grimaced.

"Yuk! What is it?" He sipped it and it tasted as bad as it smelled.

"Bacardi and coke," she told him.

"I think I will stick to beer." He handed it back to her.

When they went back into the main room, a group of four students were sat at the table with shot glasses in front of them.

"Come on Yugi, lets join in." She dragged him over. "Hey, wait up guys? Were playing too."

"What are we doing?" Yugi asked as four small glasses of a thick looking clear liquid were placed in front of him.

"On the count of three, we knock back our drinks as fast as possible. The first one to finish wins the first round. Then we have to walk in a straight line, and go round that skittle twice and back along the line to the finish. She pointed at a line drawn on the floor. The winner is the person who doesn't fall over and can walk along the line."

"Sounds easy enough." Being Yugi, he was up for the challenge. After all, it was a game and he was good at games.

He was concentrating so hard, he barely noticed the burning sensation of the tequila as it went down. Surprisingly, he was the first to finish. "Whooo! Yeah!" He fist pumped the air when they announced him the winner of the first round. The alcohol had gone straight to his head and he was buzzing. The normally shy, reserved young man was becoming loud and outgoing.

The next round was more difficult. When he stood up, he felt a little unsteady, but concentrated hard. Most of the others in the game had drunk far more than he had and two of them couldn't even stand up. The other two were also very drunk and staggered, zig-zagging along the line, walking into the skittle. Kimiko did reasonably well, but misjudged her turn and kicked the skittle over.

Yugi was taking this game seriously. His reward for winning was another drink which he had to knock straight back while everyone cheered. All of a sudden he was having a good time and Anzu was not even on his mind.

"Lets dance." Kimiko grabbed his hands and they started grinding to a Lady Ga Ga song. Yugi always considered himself a hopeless dancer. Anzu had tried countless times to teach him, but his reserved nature held him back and he always found it difficult to express himself. But with alcohol flowing through his system his body was loose; he was moving fluidly to the music without his usual inhibited nature to stop him.

"Wow! You know how to move Yugi," She purred as he ground his body against hers. Soon the music slowed and they grabbed onto each other and started to sway slowly to the rhythm of the song. Her face was pressed against the side of his neck and he could hear her singing softly into his ear. Yugi's brain had ceased to function rationally now and without thinking, he tilted his head so that their lips brushed, she responded and soon they were kissing passionately.

"How about we go back to your place and play that game we were talking about?" he purred. The game was really the last thing he wanted to play! All this grinding was turning him on.

Kimiko smiled seductively. Yugi was an attractive guy and she knew that quite a few of the girls liked him, but he had never shown any interest in anyone before. He was a good catch.

Taking his hand she lead him outside. The chill night air hit them and they both felt light headed as they made their way past the accommodation blocks, built to house the students. He showed off to her by skipping up onto a wall and running along it.

Giggling at his antics, she lead him to another apartment block about five minutes walk away. "I have a room in Maple house," she slurred slightly due to the alcohol in her system.

As soon as they were inside, they went straight to her room and locked the door. Clothing was hastily and clumsily removed and abandoned carelessly on the floor. Unable to control himself, Yugi poured all his pent up emotions into his lovemaking. Kimiko moaned into his ear before sucking on the soft skin of his neck amidst his thrusts of drunken lust.

He let out a throaty growl and had enough sense left in his pickled mind to shove his face into the pillow to prevent himself calling out Anzu's name as he climaxed. At that moment a feeling of smugness flowed over him. In his drunken abandon, he had stopped himself from calling for the woman who had hurt him, cheated on him and crushed his world.

Panting they lay still for a few moments before pulling apart. It was not long before they were both fast asleep and snoring, passed out from their drunken activities.

* * *

 **Oh Yugi! What have you done?**

 **Well, I hope you can all breathe after reading that! I certainly stirred up my emotions writing it!**

 **Please leave a review.**


	22. Chapter 22

Thank you to everyone who reviewed/fav/followed. I will always try to answer any queries and take on board any suggestions or advice. I do try to keep them in character, but any characters under the influence of demons or alcohol might behave differently from how they normally would.

Warning: Adult themes, alcohol, sexual activity, physical attack/abuse and some swearing.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh or any of its characters. I do however own my two oc's, Sally and Kimiko.

* * *

Broken Dreams

Chapter. 22 Lover's Bite

Around four in the morning, Yugi woke up. It was still dark. He had a horrible taste in his mouth and was thirsty. When he sat up the room swam. Or was it him that was moving? He couldn't be sure. He tried to fix his gaze on the light fitting to steady his vision but he could see two lamps overlapping each other. Ugh! Being drunk was not such a nice feeling now.

He got out of bed and staggered towards the door he presumed to be the bathroom and grappled for the door handle. He thought it strange that he could see two moving ones! Eventually he managed to grab one of them.

Once inside, he staggered to the sink and splashed his face with cold water. He took a few gulps of water to quench his thirst and to try and clear the feeling of dizziness. When he stood up, he was hit with a horrible sensation and he suddenly felt the urgent need to be sick.

As soon as he relieved his stomach of its contents, he felt less intoxicated and the room was no longer moving. He found some mouthwash and rinsed out his mouth before taking some more sips of water.

Now slightly more sober, he noticed his nakedness and suddenly felt rather exposed. The evenings events were now coming back to him, and a sense of guilt washed over him as be remembered the young woman who had brought him here.

Perhaps this was all a bad dream and he would wake up to find it was just his imagination playing tricks on him! But when he staggered back into the bedroom and saw her sleeping in the bed, he knew that this was real!

He knew it was a mean and cowardly thing to do, but for a brief moment he considered finding his clothes so that he could sneak out, go home and pretend that this had never happened. No! He mentally cursed: What sort of man used a woman and then sneaked out, leaving her to wake up alone?! It went against all his principles so how could he even think it?

Feeling tired and with the beginnings of a hangover, he got back into bed and was soon passed out.

When he woke again, it was daylight and the girl next to him was gone. Sitting up, he was aware of a pounding in his head from the hangover. He put his head in his hands and let out an anguished groan, which caused his head feel as though it were splitting in two. How on earth could he have been so stupid and irresponsible?

Now that it was light, he could also see how compact the room was. There was room for a bed, a vanity unit and a couple of chairs The wardrobe was built into one side of the wall and there was a small bathroom. The best thing about the room was the work station for the students to do their studying. It was fitted into the recess in the wall next to the bathroom and had space for books, a laptop, a small television and any other study material a student might require. He noticed all her art books and artists equipment strewn all over the shelves and worktop.

Slowly he swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up carefully to avoid the pounding in his head.

Where were his clothes? He had not noticed just how untidy... he tried to remember her name... K.. K.. Kimiko, that was it. Gosh, she really was untidy, he could not see his clothes anywhere. Hearing the bathroom door open, he grabbed the nearest thing – a rather brightly coloured shirt from the pile on the floor and went to put it on. He immediately realised it would be too small to reach further than his hips, so he quickly tied the sleeves around his waist to cover himself.

Having just taken a shower, Kimiko emerged from the bathroom, with her hair bundled up in a towel. She was wearing only a small pair of panties. "Oh, hi! You're awake." She blushed a little when she saw him checking her our.

Blushing an even deeper shade of pink, he quickly admonished himself and averted his eyes. He had not noticed how nice her figure was last night. Not as nice as Anzu, but still nice. "S.. sorry!" He didn't know if he was supposed to apologise, after all, he had already done far more than just look at her body! "Erm...I hope you don't mind me borrowing this only I couldn't find my clothes." The whole situation was making him feel awkward and self conscious.

"I will find them for you. If you want to take a shower, go ahead. If your head is pounding, there's some pain killers in the bathroom cabinet." She made no effort to cover herself up and Yugi found himself concentrating really hard to keep his eyes on her face, the wall – anywhere but her bare breasts!

"Thanks!" He beat a hasty retreat to the bathroom. Even with a hangover and acute embarrassment, a certain part of his anatomy still thought it was okay to respond to the sight of an almost naked woman. He wanted to strangle it, but decided a cold shower would do instead.

When he came back out she was not in the room. But as promised she had found his clothes and put them on the bed with a note that read: _Gone to kitchen for breakfast. Turn right when you leave the room and it is along the end of corridor._

As soon as he was dressed, he went to the kitchen to find Kimiko with three other girls and a boy, sitting at the dining table. "Hi!" He gave them all a timid little wave.

Kimiko proudly introduced him to the other students that shared the same floor, and then offered him tea or coffee, cereal and toast, which he happily accepted. He was starving hungry.

While he was waiting for Kimiko to make his tea and toast, he decided that he should ring his grandfather to tell him he had crashed at a friends and would be home soon.

His grandfather was not pleased with him and gave him a roasting. It was not so much that he had stayed out all night, but more the fact that they had no idea where he was or if he was safe. He apologised for his lack of consideration and said he would be home soon. He felt like a complete idiot.

"So," Yugi felt misplaced as he said goodbye to Kimiko. He scratched the back of his head. _Should I kiss her? Ask her out?_ Having never had a one night stand or asked a girl – other than Anzu out before, this was unfamiliar territory for him. They both hesitated a moment and then leant in at the same time. Rather than kiss her lips he planted a quick kiss on her cheek. "See you at uni on Monday," he mumbled awkwardly.

"Yeah, sure," she replied, disappointed that he did not kiss her properly. Her reaction made him feel bad.

"We could meet for lunch on Monday if you like?" He felt like a fraud; he was only asking her because he felt guilty.

She smiled half heartedly. "Yeah sure... Twelve fifteen in the Abstract bar? It's in the quadrangle by the art block." She did not expect him to show up.

"Yeah, I know it," he confirmed. "Well, see you Monday then... Bye." He turned away and walked towards the bus stop with a frown on his face. How on earth had he got himself into this situation? He was still hurting way too much to really want start another relationship on the rebound.

::::::::::::

The week had gone by faster than expected for Anzu. She had really thrown herself back into her preparations for the next assessment and being busy was helping her to deal with the sadness she was feeling over her situation with Yugi.

Sally had also been keeping an extremely close eye on her to ensure she was coping.

"Have you made up your mind when you are going to try and call Yugi again?" Sally asked as the two girls showered and changed.

"Yes, I am going to go back to my room and call him this evening, or breakfast time in Japan. If I know Yugi he will want to lay in bed for as long as he can, but his grandfather will make him get up to help with the chores." She was able to muster a small smile at memories of him complaining about Grandpa always dragging him out of bed to help with things that needed doing in the shop. "He never has been an early morning person," she sighed wistfully.

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, I will be fine on my own. But thanks for offering."

"Message me if it doesn't go to plan, okay? Otherwise, I will meet you at Marco's for pizza." Sally gave Anzu a hug.

"Thanks. I will meet at Marco's after I have spoken to Yugi." Anzu's tummy was swirling with butterflies as she walked back to her room.

When she entered the shared suite, she was shocked to find Seto Kaiba sitting on the sofa reading one of the magazines they kept on the coffee table. "What the hell are you doing here? How did you get in? Get out before I call security."

"You know, you girls really do read a lot of trash." He threw the magazine onto the table.

"I thought I would take you out. I didn't want you to think we were just a one night stand," he smirked.

"You have some nerve turning up here after what you did to me and Yugi! He won't even return my calls." Her voice was laced with emotion.

"Forget about him," Seto replied coldly. "Now that he's got rid of you, I bet he has been having fun with all those nymphomaniac college girls. They will be throwing themselves all over him and I bet he loves it," he sneered.

"Yugi's not like that so shut the fuck up! Who the hell do you think you are waltzing in here and saying such stuff?" She could feel herself getting very angry. Seto shrugged.

"He's a man, not your little lap dog." He fixed her with a seductive smirk. "I have booked a table at Eleven Madison Park. It is French fine dining so you had better go and change into something decent."

"I don't like French food." She folded her arms indignantly.

"Shame, I get bored dining alone." He stood up and stepped in front of her, fixing her with a hurt expression.

Feeling him in her personal space made her nervous. He was doing something, she was sure. It almost felt as though he was trying to hypnotise her because she could feel a strange force entering her mind, manipulating her thoughts.

When she went to tell him where to go it came out as "Fine!" She huffed in annoyance at her inability to say what she wanted. "Just dinner, nothing else okay? After which, I never want to see you again."

He gave her a triumphant smirk. "Go and get changed. I will wait for you." Feeling confused and more than a bit dazed, she did as she was told.

Her mind was clouded as she changed into a sleek black dress that ended just above the knee. She put on a pair of black and silver stilettos and grabbed a matching clutch bag. She knew there was something else that she had come home to do but could not remember what.

She quickly put on a little light make up and looked at herself in the mirror. What was it she was supposed to do? Shaking her head, she dismissed it: Of course she knew what she was doing – she had come back to her room to get dressed up for her night out with Seto!

Grabbing a warm coat to keep out the cold January weather, she went out to where Seto was waiting for her. The phone call she had planned to make to Yugi, completely forgotten.

When Anzu had not turned up at Marco's by seven thirty, Sally got worried – especially when Anzu did not answer her phone. Thinking Anzu's call to Yugi had not gone very well, and that Anzu might be on her own, she hurried back to their apartment. All she found was a scribbled note from Anzu: _Gone out for the evening, see you in the morning. Everything good. Love A._ Sally thought it a little odd but assumed Anzu had spoken to Yugi and had gone out with some of the other girls to celebrate. She was a little miffed that Anzu had left her waiting at Marco's and not even bothered to ring to apologise!

The evening did not turn out to be as bad as Anzu had expected. Seto Kaiba was being quite the gentleman, which lead her to become suspicious that he might be up to something. She vowed to keep her guard up.

However, warmed by the delicious food and expensive wine, she started to let her resolve slip. Of course, his charm was all part of his plan to manipulate her and instead of her request to go straight home after dinner, she found herself at an exclusive night club with him, dancing the night away.

It was now nearing one in the morning and they were dancing dangerously close to one another, her head resting on his chest. Feeling sleepy, she started yawning.

"Are you tired?" He enquired.

"It's been a long day and I'm exhausted. Can you take me home?" She muttered.

"Sure." They went to get their coats and he called for his chauffeur driven car to collect them.

The car pulled up outside Seto's hotel. Anzu had not really been paying any attention to where they were going. "Thank you for a nice evening Seto." The door was opened for her by the chauffeur and she got out. She gasped when she saw the hotel in front of her. Her mind suddenly snapped the control he had over her and a few of her original plans came back to her. "What the heck! Hey! Why have you brought me...?" She was interrupted by his arms tightly wrapping around her. He bent down and whispered in her ear.

"You didn't think I would let you go home did you?"

"What did you do to me?" She was about to scream for help when he silenced her with a kiss. For a brief moment, she had managed to break free of his mind control, but he quickly re-asserted his hold over her, rendering her utterly helpless to resist.

Taking her hand, he lead her up to his penthouse suite. She was quite spirited for a human which made the chase far more enjoyable.

Lowering her to the bed, demon Seto felt himself burning with desire.

Trapped inside his soul room, Seto's true soul was being tortured by what was happening. He wanted to stop his body from being used like this, but was powerless to do so.

Amidst their heated kisses, the demon's eyes were changing from their human mask of blue, to darkened pools of evil lust. He pulled away slightly and moved his lips to her throat, trailing kisses downwards and across her collar bone. As he nipped at her soft skin, his fangs slid in to place ready to bite.

Momentarily, Anzu caught a glimpse of his face and tried to scream. "Kaiba!" She fought against the control he had over her and attempted to push him away, but he was too strong.

Seto could feel the hormones in his physical body raging and he could hear the Mazaki girl scream. Her body felt tense as she pounded his shoulders and back. Seto ran to the door of his soul room but it would not open; the demon's control over him was too powerful. The images and sensations faded away as the demon blocked him out, leaving him alone in his soul room once more.

Feeling a burning, stinging sensation in her neck, Anzu clawed at his back until she started to feel too weak to do so any longer. Her vision was blurring and she knew she was losing the fight to stay alive.

Greedily, he drank from her, draining her life blood and causing her soul to weaken. Gasping, he pulled away just moments before he drank her to death. He looked at her laying there, pale with shock, frightened eyes staring wildly but no longer seeing as she hovered on the brink of death.

With the last of her strength she manage to cry out. "Yugi! I'm sorry... Yu..." Her voice drifted away into silence.

Seto, or rather his demon self sneered and rasped cruelly. "That little runt can't save you now. He hates you for what you have done." He ran a sharp blackened fingernail across his wrist until blood started oozing from the cut. "Now drink?!" He shoved his wrist over her mouth, holding her jaw so that she could not close her mouth or turn her head away from him, forcing his blood to drip into her mouth and down her throat.

After a few seconds of gagging, the demon poison was starting to mingle with her soul. Her beautiful cerulean eyes became dark and viper like. She grabbed his arm and started lapping hungrily at his wrist. When she had had enough she licked his wrist so that the coagulant in the demon venom sealed the cut. Reaching up, she grabbed his hair roughly and pulled him in for a heated kiss.

The next morning, Sally got up early, ready for their ballet practice. She and Anzu had been chatting about perfecting the new routine together so that they would be well prepared for when classes started again on Monday. Anzu had been saying how much she was looking forward to it.

Sally was still sulking a little about Anzu going off without her last night, but after what Anzu had been through recently, was prepared to let it go. Seeing Anzu's door closed and no sign of her being up, she banged on the door. "Annie! Are you awake?" There was no answer so she tried the door handle. It was unlocked and the door opened up to reveal Anzu's neatly made bed. It looked as though it had not been slept in. This puzzled Sally. "Oh! Okay," she mumbled, "thanks for leaving without me... again!" She did not want to get angry with her friend but was finding it hard not to be!

Grabbing her dance kit, she dashed out of the apartment and ran over to the practice rooms. There was no sign of Anzu anywhere. "Hey! Martin, have you seen Annie this morning?" She asked one of the other students.

He shook his head and shrugged. "No, not since yesterday afternoon."

She tried ringing Anzu but it went to voicemail. Her anger was now turning to worry.

Frantically, Sally searched the places on campus where they usually hung out. There was no trace of Anzu anywhere. And when the afternoon lesson started and Anzu still had not appeared, Sally started to get very worried.

Anzu was still not answering her phone and had not replied to any messages. When she returned to their accommodation she found out why: Anzu's phone was still in her bag, on the chair next to the dresser.

"Have you tried security?" One of the other students suggested. "They have cameras on the gate, it might show what time she left and if she came back or not.

"Thanks, I will do that." She ran over to the exit gate and asked one of the security staff if they had seen her leave. The guard confirmed proudly that she had gone out with none other than the CEO of Kaiba Corporation, Mr. Seto Kaiba at around six forty five last evening.

"Oh! Shit! Shit! Shit!" The guard looked at sally with horror at her outburst.

"Is something wrong Miss?" He enquired.

"Of course there is! She hasn't come back!" Everyone else might think that the famous Seto Kaiba walked on water, but for Anzu he was bad news.

Sally didn't know what else to do so she rang Yugi.

After a couple of hours sleeping off his hangover, Yugi took another shower and got dressed in a pair of old jeans and a sweatshirt. He still felt a bit delicate, but not as rough as he had earlier. He was hungry and thirsty so he went downstairs to the kitchen to find Atem and Mana with Mai and Jonouchi sitting round the table chatting. _Great, this is all I need._ He prepared himself for the inevitable teasing, but was surprised to find that they were being sympathetic.

"Hey Yuge, you okay man? Because you're lookin a bit delicate!" Jonouchi said in his usual loud cheery voice, making him wince.

"You do look a bit pale Yugi. How are you feeling?" Mai asked more softly.

"Remind me to never, ever drink, ever again," he groaned, making them all laugh.

"At least you didn't make a fool of yourself in front of everyone," Atem chuckled, reminding them all of when he and Jonouchi had drunk a bottle of Vodka between them at Ryou Bakura's leaving party. Jonouchi had fallen asleep on Bakura's floor, cuddling a cushion! And Atem had been carried home in quite a state. He had been sick all over the stairs and Grandpa had to put him to bed. Yugi guessed that was probably why his brother was being nice to him!

"Yeah, I'm starving hungry now though." He went to the fridge to find something to eat. When he bent down they all saw the mark on his neck!

"So, what did you do last night?" Atem smirked knowingly.

"Nothing much. Went to a party, got drunk and didn't manage to get home!" They both noticed his slight look of cagey embarrassment.

"So, how did you get that love bite on your neck Yuge?" Jonouchi blurted.

Yugi's hand immediately moved to cover his neck and his face turned crimson. "I.. I.. Okay, so I spent the night with a girl," he admitted.

"Woo hoo Yugi! Way to be a man and get over Anzu," Jonouchi congratulated him. Poor Yugi cringed with embarrassment and shame.

Mai slapped Jonouchi on the back of the head for being a jerk. "Leave him alone, you idiot."

"It's okay Mai," Yugi smiled weakly. "My mistake, I have to deal with it. Her name is Kimiko and I have sort of asked to see her again... although I'm not sure I want to go out with anyone else just yet. Despite what Anzu did with Kaiba, I still love her." His mouth hung open when he realised what he had just let Kaiba's name slip out.

"What! Kaiba!" Jonouchi and Mai shouted in unison and Yugi grimaced.

"That fucking prick!" Jonouchi leaped up with his fists clenched. "I'm gonna.." Mai grabbed him and pulled him back down.

"You're gonna do what! Get yourself arrested?" She scolded. "Don't you think Yugi has been through enough without you charging in like an idiot. Why do you think he didn't want you to know who it was?"

"Yeah..." Jonouchi's shoulders sagged. "Sorry Yugi."

"I'm sorry too," Yugi responded. "I should have told you but I was worried you might go and kill Kaiba. To be honest, even I wanted to kill him!" There was a few moments of awkward silence. Mana was the first to break it.

"Anyone want more tea?" She leaped up from her chair.

"Yes please," Atem handed her his mug. Mai gathered up the rest of the mugs and handed them to Mana to refill.

"Why don't you speak to Anzu, Yugi?" Mana said as she handed him his refill.

Mai nodded in agreement and added. "Yes! She does owe you an explanation Yugi. Take it from someone who knows how it feels when a lover does the dirty on you. Until you get closure, you can't move on," she explained.

"Yeah, I know you are right Mai, but I... After what I did last night! It makes me just as bad. Everything is just so messed up. What would I say to her? I got my own back so we are even now, how about we get back together?! Argh... I'm such an idiot!" He thumped his fists on the table angrily.

"You ain't an idiot Yuge! You can't blame yourself for any of this!" Jonouchi told him.

"Jonouchi's right Yugi," Atem added. "You are not an idiot – well maybe a bit for getting drunk and spending the night with someone you hardly know!" Both he and Mai were reminded of their own encounter, making them glance awkwardly at one another.

"Just put it down to experience Yugi," Mai continued. "The important thing is that you talk to Anzu to find out where you both go from here. Neither of you can move forward if you don't sort things out between you."

"Yeah, maybe you're right. But... I dunno. What if they are together now and Anzu tells me it's over between us ... I'm not sure I can face it." Yugi looked down at the mug in his hands.

"That is a risk you have to take Yugi. I can be there with you when you call her if you like?" Atem offered.

"Can you? I would like that, thanks," Yugi nodded.

"I can be there for ya too buddy?" Jonouchi asked hopefully.

"Thank you Jonouchi, I appreciate the offer but... just Yami will be fine." Yugi felt a bit guilty turning down his friend's offer but he did not want everyone there when Anzu dumped him, it would be far too humiliating.

They were interrupted when Yugi's phone started ringing. It was an unknown number, but he had a suspicion about who it might be. He glanced at his friends. Should he answer it?

"Yes, answer it," Mai nodded reassuringly.

"Hello... Yes, Yugi Mutou speaking... " He was silent as he listened to what was being said on the other end of the line. And then he erupted. Jumping up from his seat, he buried his free hand in his hair and started pacing the kitchen as he attempted to take in what Sally was saying. "What?! No, she didn't. Missing! With Kaiba! When did that happen..? He tugged frantically on his hair as he tried to to think. "Okay...Hold on." He turned to his brother and friends. "Anzu was going to ring me last night, but she never did and now she has vanished with Kaiba." His emotions started to overwhelm him causing his voice to crack. "Something is wrong, I know it.. She would never just... I have to go and find her..." Tears welled up I his eyes as he spoke and he appeared to be on the brink of a melt down, so Mai grabbed the phone from him while Atem and Mana gently steered him back to his chair and sat him down.

"Hello, who is this?... Okay, Sally, I'm Mai. Explain to me exactly what has happened to Anzu?"

When Mai had finished talking, she hung up and turned to Yugi. "I think you should go to New York Yugi. Something is not right with Anzu and she might need your help." Everyone just stared at her with horrified expressions.

 **Hope you enjoyed. Please review.**


	23. Chapter 23

Woo hoo, new movie is out in Japan in a few days. Bummer that we will have to wait almost another year in the west though. In this day and age, that is ridiculous and I can't help thinking they have scored an own goal with such a long delay, as by then everyone would have seen all the badly subbed versions on the internet and will no longer be interested in a re-written, stupidly scripted, heavily censored 4k version. I have seen some of the rants on You tube and some are scathing! I wonder what you all think?

This chapter has been so hard to get right! Every time I read through it, I find myself adding and changing my original draft. I refuse to go over it anymore as it is now driving me round the bend. So, I hope that this final version is okay.

No warnings for this chapter. I also do not own Yugioh.

* * *

Broken Dreams

Chapter 23 Chasing Demons

After a moment, Atem nodded and agreed with Mai.

"We can't wait around in the hope that they come back to Domino, so it might be your only chance to confront them and find out what is going on Yugi." He looked at Yugi who was frowning and chewing his lower lip. "Yugi?" Hearing his name a second time, Yugi met his brother's gaze.

"But what if she doesn't want me there? I don't know if I can handle the rejection, or seeing her with him." He was starting to have doubts about going to New York.

"No way Yuge! She would never choose that jerk, money bags over you!" Jonouchi reasoned, trying to be helpful.

"Why not! He's rich and powerful. He can probably have any woman he wants," Yugi mumbled.

"He wouldn't get his hands on me!" Mai huffed. "And I don't think Anzu would be fooled by his money either! So you need to stop thinking like that Yugi. If you want her, go and get her."

"But how do I get time off university? The new term has only just started! And Grandpa will never let me go, he's paying for my education!" Yugi knew he was making excuses, but he was afraid to face the fact that Anzu may have chosen Kaiba over him, despite what Jonouchi and Mai were saying.

"Come on Yugi! This isn't like you! Where is your Mutou fighting spirit? The one that never gives up, even when the odds look bad," Atem gripped his brother by the shoulder. "I won't let you do this on your own Yugi, I will go with you," he stated firmly.

"Yeah, me too Yuge. You ain't doing this alone. And besides, I can't wait to give Money Bags a piece of my mind," Jonouchi resolved with a shake of his fist.

Yugi remained silent.

"You and Anzu are my friends. Mahado won't like it but I'm coming too," Mana stated defienatly.

"None of us like seeing you like this Yugi. So it's decided! We are all going with you to find Anzu so you can win her back," Mai concluded.

"Thanks guys." Yugi could not help a weak smile for his friends. "But we will need to hurry! What if they leave New York and go somewhere else?"

"According to Sally, Anzu left her phone, purse and all her clothes. She will have to collect them before she can go anywhere. I will ring Kaiba's secretary in the morning and ask if I can talk to Mokuba. He was in New York with Seto so he must know where his brother is staying," Mai answered.

"Did Mokuba come back on his own?" Yugi was quite surprised, he knew the Kaiba brothers well enough to know that Kaiba would never just abandon his brother like that.

"Yes, apparently Mokuba was upset about being sent home," Mai confirmed. "I had to call the office yesterday. Seto Kaiba was supposed to be attending a meeting with the accountant for the sports club, but he didn't show up. When I called his secretary to find out why, she seemed a bit... I dunno, panicked, or worried. She said Master Mokuba had returned without him and no one had heard from him. She said Seto told Mokuba he had some urgent business in New York! Whatever that means!"

"Do you have a telephone number for the Kaiba mansion Mai?" Atem asked.

"No," Mai shook her head. "I will have to ring the office in the morning."

It was agreed that first thing Monday morning, Mai would speak to Kaiba's secretary and see if she could get a number for Mokuba.

"Since Mokuba wants his brother to come home, maybe he could take us to New York in his private jet." Mana suggested. Atem was sceptical.

"We should not rely on a Kaiba to help us. I will start looking for flight options tonight."

"Okay, but don't book anything until we know for definite Mokuba won't take us," Mai told him.

::::::::::::

The following morning, Yugi went straight to the office to request a leave of absence for personal reasons. He was given a form to fill in and told to go and speak to the guidance counsellor.

Great! He did not really want to involve Mahado.

The receptionist told him to wait outside and he would be called in. He sat down in the small waiting area and could not help noticing the posters lining the wall, offering help and advice to people in crisis or suffering from addictions. What a screwed up society.

It then occurred to him that his life was pretty screwed up too and he had complicated his situation further by sleeping with Kimiko. How was he going to tell her that he didn't really want to get into a relationship with her without sounding cruel? _God what a mess._ Groaning, he scrunched his eyes up and leaned his head back against the wall.

Meanwhile, Mai contacted Seto Kaiba's secretary. Being a forthright person, she asked bluntly if the secretary knew what was going on with Seto Kaiba.

The secretary sounded stressed. It seemed that Kaiba Corporation was in a bit of a crisis with its CEO absent. "You mean to tell me he has not been in touch for a whole week? Is there anyone who knows what is going on? What about Mokuba?"

The secretary explained that the younger Kaiba was also very worried about his elder brother's unexplained absence.

"Would it be possible for me to talk to Mokuba? Only I would like to help him find out what is going on with his brother."

"Mokuba is supposed to be at school. Leave it with me and I will try and reach him for you."

Mai thanked her and ended the call.

Less than five minutes later, Mokuba called back. "Mai! Have you got some news about Seto? Has Ishizu spoken to you? She said she would help Seto... We are flying to New York Tomorrow afternoon... Seto would never miss important meetings without good reason! He won't even return _my_ calls!"

He was rambling and Mai was caught off guard by how desperate he sounded. The poor boy must be going out of his mind! She had intended to lay into him about his brother causing so much trouble for her friends! "What?! Slow down a minute Mokuba. You are going to New York with Ishizu?"

"Yes, she and Mahado are going to help Seto, they think something happened to him while we were in Egypt."

"Something happened! Like what?!"

"Ishizu didn't seem to want to tell me too much, but I think it's a curse!"

"A curse! O.. kay.." Mai bit back the desire to snort at the suggestion that Seto Kaiba's behaviour could be excused by the suggestion of a curse. "You met Yugi in Egypt didn't you?"

"Yes! You know Yugi?!" Mokuba gasped.

"He is a friend, and I think that whatever your brother is mixed up in also involves Yugi. You see, your brother has done something very cruel. He has stolen Yugi's girlfriend, Anzu. Do you know anything about it?"

"What?! No way! Seto would never do something mean like that!" Mokuba started to cry.

"I'm sorry Mokuba, but maybe we could meet up to discuss this? Yugi is planning to go to New York to find Anzu. And since you want to help your brother, it would make sense for us to all go together."

Mokuba agreed immediately. "Come round to the mansion at four thirty. I have a meeting with Ishizu and Mahado then."

Mai felt pretty pleased with herself for finding out a little more about the situation. She felt sorry for Mokuba, he was still only a kid and could not accept that his brother might be in trouble. As to the real reason why Seto Kaiba had gone AWOL from his beloved company, she could only guess. But from her experience of men, when it came to women, sex and money, they seldom used their brains.

::::::::::::

"Good morning Yugi, I was told I would find you here." He startled and hurriedly sat up straight when he heard Ishizu's voice behind him.

"Ishizu! I.. I wanted to ask for compassionate leave and the principal sent me to see Mahado. Anzu's in trouble and I intend to go to New York to find her."

"What do you mean find Anzu?! Has she left the dance school?" Ishizu was alarmed at hearing this.

"Yes," Yugi clenched his fists, digging his nails into his palms to stop himself from getting upset. "Her room mate rang me. She has run off with Seto kaiba and I have to go and find them. Something about all this is not right, I'm really worried."

Ishizu's face turned from mild concern to severe worry. "Come with me Yugi, we need to talk."

She took him into Mahado's office. Mahado was expecting them both, but not together!

"We have a worrying development," Ishizu told him immediately.

"Sit down," he gestured to two chairs. "What has happened?"

"Yugi has heard from Anzu's room mate. It seems that she is with Seto Kaiba."

"Oh!" A worried look appeared on Mahado's face. "Have you tried to contact Anzu Yugi?"

"She left her phone behind so I have no way of reaching her," he frowned.

"I think it is about time we tell you what we believe is happening Yugi," Ishizu's voice sounded extremely serious and Yugi turned to look at her. It was then that he noticed she had started wearing the Tauk again. He had yet to see the ring hidden under Mahado's shirt and blazer.

"What's going on?" He asked nervously.

Mahado nodded. "Very well. Do you believe in demonic possession Yugi?"

Yugi pulled a face. "Does drinking too much alcohol at a party and behaving like an idiot count?!" He immediately wanted to slap himself for saying something so stupid.

Mahado tried not to smile at his remark. "Not that sort of demon I'm afraid. This is something far worse. Seto Kaiba helped you remove the mummified body of a priest from the tomb," he stated factually. "I understand the stone became dislodged from its mouth. Did you feel anything odd, like a sudden chill, or strange sensation? People often say 'something just walked over my grave' when they experience it."

Yugi nodded, remembering the strange sensation he had felt. "Yeah, I did feel something. You felt it too, didn't you Ishizu?"

She nodded. "Yes, I did. I thought it was a cool breeze flowing in from outside and dismissed it."

"Well, since neither of you are possessed, that would just leave Seto Kaiba. Did he behave out of character at all?"

"Kaiba is Kaiba! He is always a jerk," Yugi shrugged. Ishizu had to suppress a knowing smirk at his statement.

Yugi knitted his eyebrows together. "Wait a minute! Are you trying to tell me that Seto Kaiba attacked me when I beat him at poker, stormed off to New York and stole Anzu because he is possessed by a demon?! That's crazy! I thought all that stuff about curses was just to keep tomb robbers away!"

"It certainly makes sense Yugi." Ishizu noticed his hands were trembling, so she took one of his hands and squeezed it reassuringly. He looked up at her.

"But what about Anzu? Will this demon or whatever it is.. will it hurt her?" His voice was laced with worry.

"Of that, I am unsure," Ishizu answered solemnly.

"Then why are we wasting time talking? I need to go and save her!"

"You must not rush into this unprepared Yugi," Mahado stated firmly. "We have already spoken to Mokuba about his brother and he has arranged to take us to New York in his private jet so that we may investigate."

"What?! And you weren't going to tell me!" Yugi was starting to become irate.

"We did not wish to put you in danger," Ishizu told him calmly. "We were unaware of the recent developments with Anzu."

"Well, I am involved and I'm coming with you," Yugi stated firmly. Ishizu nodded in response.

"I cannot stop you from coming Yugi, however, you will need to be better prepared. There are events from Egypt's past that have lead to this happening. I know you and your brother have many questions about it and some of the answers you have worked out for yourselves, but you only have part of the picture."

"I knew it! The Pharaoh _is_ our father!" Yugi gasped, eyes wide.

"Yes Yugi... he is. I am sorry you were not told this previously, but we were only trying to protect you."

"What from?"

"That's what we are about to explain to you Yugi," Mahado interjected. Ishizu began her explanation.

"I was just seven years old when I first met your grandfather and your mother. Your grandfather was brought to my father's attention after he became the first person to enter the tomb of Atem and survive mentally intact. As guardians of the tomb, we knew that he had been spared for a reason. The following night your mother met a young man who told her his name was Atem, and who's description matched that of our Pharaoh. We were sceptical at first but when you and Atem were born, we knew that you were both special and that the ancient prophecy was coming to pass. After my father died unexpectedly, it became _my_ duty to protect you and guide you towards your destiny."

"Destiny! Prophecy! What is it we're meant to do?!" Yugi could feel his heart beating like crazy. Ishizu nodded.

"Maybe I should start at the beginning so that you understand events leading to the prophecy. Three millennia ago, the priest called Aknadin; whose tomb you recently helped excavate, was given permission to forge the Millennium items using a form of dark alchemy. It is believed that somehow, he was forced to make a pact with a demon known as Zorc, in return for the items. For many years Egypt was peaceful. But shortly after Atem became King, Aknadin – under the influence of the demon, turned against the young Pharaoh and his court. Aknadin released the demon along with an army of creatures from the Shadow Realm. A war broke out and the kingdom was almost destroyed. Atem was left with no choice but to use the Millennium Puzzle to perform a dangerous and powerful spell to destroy the demon. Unfortunately, the cost of using this form of magic was his own soul." Ishizu paused for a moment when Yugi spoke.

"I always knew our father was a hero..." he smiled sadly.

"Yes, he was," Ishizu replied reassuringly, before containing on. "The prophecy states that the demon would one day rise, to threaten our world once again. When that time is near, the Pharaoh would return and a new chosen one would be born."

"Or chosen ones!" Yugi interjected.

"Yes, that is something we were not expecting," Ishizu confirmed.

"Maybe it is because our father had a brother. We figured that since Yami looks like the Pharaoh, I probably represent his brother Heba."

"We did not know you knew of Heba," Mahado said with raised eyebrows.

"Yes," Yugi nodded. "We came across something on the internet that said he was found buried in an ante-chamber in Atem's tomb, a few years ago, but very little is known about him. There were no pictures of what he might have looked like though."

"I have something to show you Yugi. This is a copy of a papyrus that has been kept safe by generations of my family." She handed him a printed copy of a beautifully drawn image of two boys aged about twelve and fourteen, in loin cloths, taming a wild horse." Yugi's jaw fell open. He could feel his heart jump into his throat.

"Th... they look just like me," he pointed to the smaller boy and then to the taller one, "and Yami!"

"That's right "The taller one is of Prince Atem, the other is his younger brother Prince Heba. You are correct in assuming that you resemble him."

Yugi stared at the drawing in awe, he had seen the photograph of the carving of Atem, but until today he had not seen a picture a beautiful as this. The two boys looked exactly as they had at those ages.

"You can keep that copy Yugi. But you must promise to keep it safe."

"I promise," he nodded. "Yami will be keen to see this!" He smiled warmly at the image of his father and... uncle! Ancestor! Yugi was unsure how to describe Heba. He carefully placed the image inside the A4 notebook he had in his backpack so that it would not get creased.

"What happened to Heba during the battle?" He enquired nervously.

"We believe that shortly before the war started, Heba tried to protect his brother by confronting Aknadin and his followers on his own. Sadly, he did not survive. This prompted the distraught Pharaoh to go after them himself. Aknadin successfully freed Zorc from the Shadow Realm by placing all seven of the Millennium items into the stone in which they were forged. "

 **I hope that was okay. Please review.**

"What happened to Aknadin? How did he die?" Yugi wanted to know.

"We are not entirely sure, but we do know that at some point in the battle, he was killed." Ishizu paused as Mahado produced a photo copy of a scroll and handed it to Yugi.

"A colleague of ours and fellow tomb keeper, Shadi has sent us a copy of a passage he found written in the personal journal of the Pharaoh Set, who took the throne after Atem's death. Set was apparently, Aknadin's son and a cousin to Atem," Mahado explained.

Yugi read the passage out loud: _"Aknadin's body has been discovered amongst the rubble. His own soul was banished to the Shadow Realm along with Zorc. However, the embalmers are afraid to handle Aknadin's body, for fear that some of the demon's influence may have survived. To ensure that he does not rise from the dead to terrorise the people, I have instructed that a stone be placed in his mouth along with a magical seal around the sarcophagus. His place of burial shall forever remain secret."_ Yugi finished with, _"_ Until we found him and dug him up..." He handed the paper back to Mahado.

"If _you_ knew about it then why take a student along and let Kaiba help?" Yugi felt angry that he had not known the truth before they had gone down into that tomb. He had no idea what this demon Kaiba had been infected with might do to Anzu.

"I assure you Yugi, I did not know who the tomb belonged to when we started working there. This information was hidden and kept secret by tomb keepers for three millennia and has only just come to light," Ishizu said sadly. "The team that discovered Aknadin's tomb knew nothing about it. Had I known beforehand, I would have halted the dig and re-sealed the tomb."

"Okay, then how do I destroy this demon? Before it does any more damage! I have to save Anzu... and Kaiba." Despite what Seto had done – or been forced to do, Yugi could not let him perish.

"You do not try to defeat this demon on your own Yugi," Mahado looked at him sternly. "It can only be defeated with a millennium item."

Yugi gasped as Mahado opened his jacket and pulled the Millennium Ring out from beneath his shirt.

"Wow! The Millennium Ring!" It looked far more impressive than the picture he and Yami had seen on the internet.

"This is why you came to Japan - to keep an eye on us," he mumbled. "Why you didn't tell us about all this when you first arrived here?!"

"I apologise for not telling you the truth sooner Yugi, but your grandfather wanted to keep you and you brother safe. We were only obeying his wishes."

"You mean Grandpa knew about this all along?!"

"Yes Yugi. You see, when your grandfather entered the Pharoah's tomb he found the Millennium Puzzle. We thought he would become its guardian but while the Pharaoh allowed him to take the Puzzle from his tomb, your grandfather was not chosen to wield it. We believe that either you or your brother were chosen for that honour."

"You know, I'm happy that you have told me about our father and what _really_ happened to him. I just wish Grandpa had told us the truth sooner... Although, I guess I can sort of see why he didn't," he paused for a moment before taking a breath and letting it out slowly. "Well, we knew something was being hidden from us but this is just... wow!"

"Do you need a moment to come to terms with it all?" Mahado asked.

"No," Yugi shook his head. "I want to know everything. If I can stop this demon without Yami getting involved I will. I don't want him to have to give up his life like our father was forced to," he stated firmly.

"Yugi! You must not make the same mistake as Heba. He was killed when he acted rashly. There is a possibility that if you go rushing in without thinking, history may repeat itself. We need to ensure no one gets hurt this time." Ishizu reached into her bag and took out a gold box. She handed it to Yugi. His eyes went wide.

"The Millennium Puzzle!" He knew what it was immediately he touched the box.

"Yes, It belonged to the Pharaoh. It now belongs to you and your brother." Ishizu could feel her own pulse racing with anticipation as she handed it to him.

"We have all tried to complete it, but a strong force always prevents us from doing so. Your grandfather feared it might bring you harm so he entrusted me to look after it - until the time came..."

Yugi opened the box and saw that it was in pieces. He picked up a piece and it tingled comfortingly in his hand and almost appeared to glow. "I guess this is why it's called the Puzzle! Shouldn't this belong to Yami since he is more like the Pharaoh?"

"You should try completing it first Yugi. The Puzzle may have bonded with _you._ "

"You think I can complete it?!" He bit his lip. "If I can, am I supposed to give it to Yami to wear? I know what you said about Heba but I still don't want to get Yami mixed up in all this mess. I don't want him to get hurt."

"I plan to do my best to ensure no one gets hurt." Mahado stated, watching as Yugi fiddled with a couple of pieces of the puzzle, snapping two pieces together.

"Hey! That's cool," he grinned, snapping another piece into place. Ishizu noted how engrossed he was as he worked - as if he were in a trance. Ten minutes later he held up the completed upside down pyramid. "What do I do now?"

"Do you feel anything?" Ishizu was looking at him for any signs of a reaction from either the pendant or Yugi.

"I don't know. But while I was completing it, I did feel as if it wanted me to complete it! It's weird, but it was like it was telling me which piece to put in next and where to put it!"

"Maybe you should try putting it on?" Mahado suggested.

"O.. okay," Yugi said nervously slipping the rope over his head. A warm tingling feeling rushed through him an he felt light headed for a moment. "Whoa!" He laughed, "That felt weird." He blinked and then smiled. "I felt a strange sensation. It was sort of nice..!"

Yugi felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw that it was Mai contacting him. "Mai!"

"Hi Yugi! I have spoken to Mokuba Kaiba. He thinks something is wrong with his brother."

"Yes, I have some interesting information too." He nodded as Mai spoke. "I'm with Ishizu and Mahado now... There's a lot to discuss. Ah..ha, see you at four thirty."

Yugi looked at his watch. Where had the morning gone? It was eleven fifty five and he had a lunch date to attend to first. And there were still plenty of questions he needed to ask. He would also need to be taught how to use his item.

"Okay Yugi, We will all meet later at the Kaiba mansion to discuss this further. In the meantime, I suggest you keep the pendant hidden," Ishizu advised. Yugi nodded and placed the pendant in his backpack.

"I had better go, only I have a lunch date at twelve fifteen. See you later." He needed at least ten minutes to gather himself together before he could face Kimiko.

He found her sitting at a table drinking a diet coke. "Hey!" He sat down. "Sorry I'm late, I was stuck in a meeting with Ishizu about the Egypt trip I went on." He noticed she looked surprised to see him.

"That's okay," she smiled.

An awkward silence ensued between them for a minute or two. Yugi drummed his fingers on his knees. "Have you eaten yet?"

"No, I was waiting for you," she blushed slightly. Yugi noticed that she was not quite as outgoing and confident as she had been a couple of nights ago.

"What do you want to eat? My shout." Having learned that she was a vegetarian, he got up and went over to the food counter and ordered two vegetable ramen.

"Are you vegetarian too?" She asked hopefully.

"No, but I don't mind vegetarians... I mean vegetables." He blushed at the slip. They both laughed - at least it broke the ice.

"About the other night," she began. "I don't normally.. you know.. go with a guy I have only just met. So I hope you don't think I'm like.. easy or anything."

He nearly choked on his noodles. "NO! I don't think that! It's the first time I have had a one night stand too!" The moment he said 'one night stand' he realised that he had put his foot in it. A slightly hurt look appeared on her face.

"Is that all it was to you? A one night stand."

"No, of course not! I wouldn't have asked to meet you today if it was."

"You just asked to be polite. I can tell you don't really want to be here by your body language."

Could she see through him that easily? He sighed. "It's not that I don't like you. If things were different I would love to go out with you." He noticed her expression brightened a little. He continued. "It's just that.. my last relationship is in a mess. We had a bad break up and I can't leave things like they are."

"You mean try and get her back. You still love her don't you? It's okay, I understand."

He nodded slowly. "Yeah, It's not easy to just stop loving someone. I don't know if it's over for good, but I need to go to New York and see her. I think she has got herself mixed up in something bad and I have to help her."

"Oh! I won't pry, but please be careful. You're a nice guy and I would hate you to get hurt. New York is not like Domino." She sounded genuinely concerned.

"I know," he smiled weakly, "thanks for your concern." He looked at his watch, it was nearly one o'clock. "I should go, I have a lecture to get to. Stay friends huh?"

"Yeah okay," she nodded.

With a feeling of relief and just a hint of guilt, Yugi left her.

::::::::::::

It was the first time Yugi had ever been inside the Kaiba mansion and he was pretty impressed by its grandeur. Inside the entrance hall was a large painting of Kaiba's favourite duel monster, the Blue Eyes White Dragon. Yugi recalled the utter consternation on Kaiba's face when he had beaten all three of his dragons in the contest to take the world title. Kaiba had considered his Blue Eyes unbeatable. Had that been the moment Kaiba had begun to hate him?

When Yugi entered the drawing room, his brother, Mana, Mai, Jonouchi and Honda were all sitting with Mokuba, waiting for him, Mahado and Ishizu to arrive. "Hey everyone!" He hoped his friends would not be freaked out by what they were about to hear. He also wished he had been able to speak to his brother, alone, first.

"Mana!" Mahado barked, entering the room. "What are you doing here? You should be at work!"

"What! And miss out." She shook her head defiantly. "Something is wrong, I'm not stupid, my heka is strong and I can sense it. You need my help!"

He sighed, defeated. His sister was now a grown woman and he couldn't protect her from danger forever. Magic ran deep in their genes and she was right, he might need her help with this demon.

"What's heka?" Jonouchi put his hand up to ask.

"Heka is ancient Egyptian for magic," Yugi answered quickly, remembering what he had learned from his studies.

"You mean real magic, like Harry Potter?!" Jonouchi enquired.

"Yes, real magic.," Mahado nodded. "And no, not like Harry Potter!"

"Can you show us?" Honda said excitedly.

"That is not what were here for," Ishizu cut in. "We are here to discuss our mission to help Seto and Anzu."

"Yes everyone, they are in danger from a curse!" Mokuba stood up and slapped his palms on the table to get every-ones attention. "Seto never takes time off work. I had to nag him to take a few days to go sightseeing in Egypt. And Mai told me what he did. I'm really sorry Yugi, but you have to believe me! I know none of you like him very much, but he's not like that! He would never steal another man's girlfriend, just to be spiteful."

"Yeah, but he did though didn't he," Jonouchi spoke out sarcastically.

"But he didn't mean to!" Mokuba was getting upset. "Sure, he didn't like it when Yugi beat him at Duel Monsters and took his world title, but he would never do something like that to get back at him. He would rather challenge him to a game."

"Quiet!" Ishizu stood up. "We did not come here to argue. Mokuba is right, something is wrong with Seto. Mahado and I have already spoken to Yugi. I don't know how much the rest of you know," her gaze fell on Atem who was looking at her intensely. "But what I am going to tell you will most likely come as quite a shock." There was no easy way to tell them about demonic possession and they all sat with horrified expressions as she explained what had happened when they excavated the tomb and what they believed was now happening to Seto Kaiba and possibly Anzu.

Everyone gasped but seemed to take it well, vowing to help in any way they could.

"I have a question." Honda put his hand up as if he were in class. "What will happen to them after we get rid of the demon? Will they be okay?"

"I cannot promise that they will come out of this unscathed, but we will do our best to protect their souls from harm," Mahado answered. He refrained from telling them that they might die in the process. It was something that he had not yet told Yugi either.

"We _will_ save them Mokuba, I promise," Yugi added forcefully. Inside he felt sick but was determined not to let anyone show how afraid he was.

"How do you intend to rid them of the demon?" Atem asked. He had been quietly listening, holding Mana's hand.

"That is where magic comes in," Mahad began. He looked at Atem, wondering how much he already knew from Mana. "We belong to a select group of tomb keepers. Our family has been gifted with powerful heka, which we will use to defeat the demon possessing Seto and possibly Anzu, before it grows too strong."

"And how do you do this? It all sounds too simple," Atem queried. "How do you control this heka? You would need some sort of item to conduct it or focus it, am I not correct?"

"Yeah, told you it was like Harry Potter! You need a wand," Jonouchi grinned.

Mahado rolled his eyes. "We don't use wands as such. I have a staff which I use to direct my magical energies. Mana also has her necklace, which is a nice discreet way for her to call on her heka." Everyone looked at Mana, making her fidget nervously as she fingered the family heirloom around her neck.

"And what about the Millennium items?" Atem queried. Ishizu had one and he would be willing to bet his monthly salary on them knowing where the other items were. He was unsurprised when Mahado revealed the Ring.

At the same time, Yugi reached into his bag and pulled out the Millennium Puzzle and handed it to his brother. "This should really belong to you Yami. Ishizu gave it to me earlier. It belonged to our father." Yami smiled knowingly as he took it from Yugi.

"So we were right Yugi?" He raised his eyebrow and gave a little half smile. Yugi nodded.

"You may as well know the truth about Yami and me!" Yugi took a deep breath and addressed his friends, who were looking confused. "Our father was a Pharaoh. His name was Atem and he defeated the demon Zorc after Aknadin summoned it from the Shadow Realm. The Gods sent him back to earth for one night and he... erm met our mother and," he scratched the back of his head, "well, here we are!" He did not know how they would react to his revelation.

"Wow! You mean you guys are half ancient Egyptian?! Geez man! That's like... awesome!" Jonouchi was pretty impressed.

"Man... Royalty eh! I knew you two were something special," Honda chuckled. Yugi looked a little embarrassed while Atem bristled with pride.

"Yeah, but we don't want you treating us any differently!" Yugi said sheepishly.

"See! I knew you were my prince," Mana giggled and clutched Atem's arm.

Atem cupped the puzzle in both his hands. "Can you feel its power as well Yugi?"

"Yes, I can, although, it wears off after a while. I have something else to show you too." He took the drawing of the royal brothers out of his bag. "Ishizu gave me this." Atem looked at it fondly.

"Atem and Heba.. past versions of us," he said quietly, exchanging a slightly sad, knowing look with Yugi.

"What's up guys? You don't look too happy about having royal ancestors!" Jonouchi noticed their faces.

"They both died fighting the demon. They were still teenagers," Yugi said, sadly. "Heba died at the start of the battle. In order to destroy Zorc, Atem was forced to use powerful magic from that very puzzle. But the power he used killed him. We can't let it happen again."

"Sorry guys..." Jonouchi hung his head as Mai took his hand.

"That is sad," she added.

Ishizu stood up and told them how Pharaoh Atem had been forced to sacrifice himself. They all listened intently.

"So now you all know what we are dealing with," Mahado added, fixing Yugi with a stern look. "I don't want anyone doing anything silly, like running off to face Seto or Anzu on your own. We have no idea what sort of power or hold over them this demon entity has, or what it intends to have them do. But my guess is that they will attempt to resurrect Zorc. If that happens, then... well, I hate to imagine."

"Let's just hope we don't get to that point," Ishizu interjected.

"How will they resurrect this this Dork monster?" Jonouchi asked.

"Zorc, and it is a demon," Ishizu corrected him. "I am not entirely sure. One way is for him to obtain all seven Millennium items and since they are being kept safely, that will be difficult. My guess is that he will try to find an alternative method. I will contact my brothers and fellow tomb keeper Shadi, to ask that they research this for me. Shadi guards the Millennium Scales and has access to secret, underground vaults, known only to tomb keepers, where several texts on ancient rituals are kept."

"I don't think I want to know what will happen to us all if that thing gets re-born." Mai could not stop the involuntary shudder.

"The land would be devoured by darkness and creatures from the Shadow Realm would..." Ishizu began.

"Yeah... I think we got that thanks, but like I said, I would rather not know," Mai repeated. Yugi stood up to speak.

"I don't want to put any of you in danger, so please don't think you have to come with me. This is not your fight, so I would suggest you leave it to Ishizu, Mahado and myself.. I don't want you to get involved either Yami. You have a good career and Mana to look after. If I want Anzu back then I have no choice but to fight."

"What?!" Atem sat up straight and glared at his brother. But before he could speak, Jonouchi jumped up.

"What are you saying Yuge?! Are you crazy man?" He shouted. "You know we ain't gonna let you fight this thing on your own! No way am I gonna stand by and let you run off and get your self killed!"

"Jonouchi's right Yugi. Count me in too, I can't wait to kick some demon butt!" Honda stated with firm resolve.

"Hey, be careful what you say, that demon is in my brother don't forget!" Mokuba complained.

"Well I'm coming too," Mana chirped.

"No, you are not!" Mahado insisted.

"Yugi!" While Mana and Mahado were bickering, Atem got his brother's attention. "I don't care what happened three thousand years ago, but I am not letting you face this on your own. We won't make the same mistakes again." He got up and the two brothers hugged.

"Thanks – all of you," Yugi said, eyes brimmed with tears. Jonouchi and Honda started to get carried away, bragging about how they would deal with the demon. After a few moments Ishizu interrupted their chatter.

"Okay! Listen up everyone! Mokuba has arranged for the KC1 jet to take us to New York tomorrow, so those of you coming, meet here at ten tomorrow morning. I will give a further briefing on the flight."

"Here Yugi, I believe this is yours." Atem handed Yugi back the Puzzle.

"But! Yami! Shouldn't you? I mean, it's obvious you are meant to be the Pharaoh."

"No!" Atem shook his head. "You completed it so it belongs to you. If you are to save Anzu, then you will need it."

"Thank you Yami." Yugi took it and placed it over his head, allowing it to rest against his chest.

"It looks better on you anyway," Atem winked.

* * *

 **I hope that was okay. Please review.**


	24. Chapter 24

Well, the new movie is out! I don't know if any of you have been fortunate enough to see the Japanese premier, but from what I have managed to find on the internet so far, it looks absolutely awesome. I am a very impatient person when it comes to waiting for things I am looking forward to, so I have already read the reviews and trawled for spoilers etc.. And now I am even more impatient to see it. There is absolutely no way I can wait for another year! I hope a subbed version is available asap.

Anyway, on with my story. No particular warnings for this chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.

* * *

Broken Dreams

Chapter 24. A Wild Demon Chase.

There was so much for Yugi and Atem to discuss, but very little time to actually sit down and make sense of it all. They were worried about going home to confront their mother and grandfather with all the secrets that had been kept from them. They just did not know how to approach the subject.

Before they left the Kaiba mansion, Mahado spoke to them both. He wanted them to understand that their mother and grandfather had spent many years struggling to understand it all themselves, and had agonized over whether or not to tell Yugi and Atem the truth about their father.

It had been hard for their grandfather to learn that he was part of an ancient prophecy surrounding a long dead Pharaoh, a demon, seven magical items and a group of mysterious tomb keepers. When he had originally entered the tomb, he had done so because it represented a challenge; the ultimate game! He had dreamed, but not really believed in the rumours that the legendary Millennium Puzzle might _really_ be buried in the tomb! To him, the Millennium Puzzle had been like Pandora's Box or the Holy Grail – legends that generations of explorers hoped to find but never would.

And when he found out that his eighteen year old daughter was pregnant with twins after an encounter with a man matching the description of _the_ long dead Pharaoh Atem, his life had taken a new direction and he blamed himself for putting his family in danger.

Mahado explained that Sugoroku had been desperate to protect his daughter and grandsons from whatever this prophecy foretold and had been assertive in his belief that no prophecy was set in stone. Destiny was something you made for yourself, not something you allowed others to dictate and lay down for you to follow.

Both boys understood their grandfather's reasoning, but still wished they had known sooner. However, they were not ones to hold grudges against someone for doing what they felt right. They had grown up in a happy, loving environment and had never wanted for anything. How could they possibly be angry with their mother and grandfather for loving them and wanting to keep them safe.

As soon as they were home, they ran upstairs to begin packing. Suguroku and Hana were in the kitchen preparing the evening meal and heard them rush up to their rooms. Intrigued about what they were up to, Suguroku went upstairs. He came to Atem's room first.

"What on earth are you doing my boy?" Atem was standing on a footstool, pulling a bag from the top of his wardrobe.

"I'm packing. Yugi and I are going to New York."

"New York! For how long?"

"Just a few days. Yugi wants to go and see Anzu. I can't let him go on his own so I'm going too."

"But don't you have training tomorrow and a game on Saturday?!"

"It is just one training session Grandpa! My family comes first. And anyway, I might be back in time for the game."

"Well, if you're sure Yami." Suguroku nodded and scratched his chin, smiling. "It is nice of you to be there for your brother, but Yugi would be upset if you risked your career." Yugi appeared in the doorway and interrupted.

"No! Yami, you should stay here! I don't want to put you at risk if something goes wrong. And besides, the others will be there so I won't be alone." He was not going to give up trying to persuade Atem to stay at home.

"No! I am coming with you Yugi, this is my fight too and I'm not going to let you do anything stupid."

"May I ask what on earth is going on? And why are you wearing the Millennium Puzzle Yugi?" Sugoroku's ageing heart almost stopped!

There was an awkward silence between them for a moment, before Yugi spoke.

"We know everything Grandpa! We know the Pharaoh is our father! And we know about the prophecy. Kaiba has been infected with the demon and has kidnapped Anzu. They are both in danger so we are going to New York to defeat the demon and save them. We weren't going to tell you as we didn't want you to worry."

"Whoa Yugi! Slow down my boy? Now both of you, sit down and tell me what is going on?"

The two young men told Sugoroku everything they knew, and Yugi also explained what had happened in Egypt and how it had lead to the situation they were now in.

"Oh dear! I have spent many years dreading this day. We never wanted to lie to you about your father, we wanted you to have normal lives and not grow up knowing the future safety of the world would rest on your shoulders. Ever since you were born I have treasured you both more than you can imagine. You are not just my grandsons, I also raised you as if you were my own sons. I have tried to keep you both safe for as long as I possibly could. I thought that if I denied its existence then the past and this damn prophecy might just go away," he admitted.

"Thank you for protecting us Grandpa. But it looks like the prophecy is happening and there's not a lot we can do to stop it," Yugi said sadly.

"Yugi's right, it has begun and we have no choice but to follow our destiny. But I am pleased you chose the life we have rather than forcing us to follow the ways of the tomb keepers. Not knowing the truth until now, will make no difference to how we will tackle this demon. We understand what is expected of us and we will not fail," Atem added confidently.

"I knew you boys would accept your destiny with courage, but I fear it will be a harder task than you think. So I will not let you face it alone." A small tear appeared in the corner of each eye. "Wait here, both of you." He disappeared into his room and came back carrying a gold ankh. The two boys jaws almost hit the floor.

"A Millennium item!" They both gasped at the same time.

"Where did you get that?!" Atem almost squeaked. "Why didn't Ishizu tell us you had it?"

"When Ishizu's father gave it to me it bonded to me right away. Apparently, it first belonged the the Pharaoh's visier, Siamun. It is one of the seven Millennium items and is not to be taken lightly. The items were forged using a very dangerous and dark form of alchemy, and in the wrong hands they could bring chaos to the world. That is why I hid the Puzzle away. I hoped that if I kept it away from you the prophecy would not be able to happen – naïve of me I know, but when I was told that the Pharaoh used the power of the Puzzle to seal the demon away, I thought that if the Puzzle was not completed then the demon would never be able to rise!" His voice was very serious and the lines on his face were etched deeper with concern, making the two young men nervous.

When he saw their worried faces he let out a small chuckle. "Anyway!" He said loudly. "I have to admit, I was quite good at summoning real monsters in my time. And although I wouldn't quite call it cheating, the Ankh also gave me a bit of an advantage as a gamer," he chuckled at the memories of the money he had made playing games with high stakes. It had enabled him to buy the game shop with their spacious family home above. The influence of the Ankh meant that he had seldom felt any remorse for those he conquered, and he was considered quite a ruthless man among gamblers. He had cleaned out one or two gambling syndicates and had decided to hang up his tuxedo before anyone took a contract out on him! He sighed. "But I have retired now... Getting a bit too old I'm afraid."

Yugi and Atem glanced at each other. It seemed their lives were getting weirder by the minute. "Real monsters?!" They both gasped.

"Yes, did Ishizu not tell you?" The two boys shook their heads making Sugoroku sigh. "How could she miss something so important. As ones chosen to wield the items, we can summon creatures from the realm of beasts. Each item has a particular ability, but in ancient Egypt they used them to extract the Ka from people who were considered evil. They then sealed the Ka away in stone tablets and used them to do battle in a game not unlike our modern Duel Monsters. In fact, many of the creatures are now portrayed as Duel Monsters cards. Pegasus got the idea for the game after visiting Egypt and being chosen to wear the Millennium Eye! If one of you could take a card out of your deck and hold it up." Atem grabbed his deck from the drawer and picked up the top card.

"Kuriboh!" He stated.

"Which one of you wishes to summon it?" Yugi and Atem looked at their grandfather in disbelief.

"You're wearing the puzzle Yugi, you do it." With some scepticism, Atem handed him the card.

Yugi held it up, and trying not to laugh, shouted. "Come fourth Kuriboh!" Nothing happened.

"It is not a joke Yugi! You have to believe in your ability and focus on your connection to the Puzzle, otherwise it will not listen to you," Sugoroku scolded.

"Sorry Grandpa!"

Yugi tried again, this time with more conviction. The puzzle suddenly felt warm against his chest. There was a bright flash and a brown fuzz ball appeared, blinking at them with its big soppy round eyes.

Atem sniggered. "It reminds me of you Yugi, all pouty and cute." Yugi shot his brother a death glare and reached out to touch Kuriboh. It snarled and revealed a row of sharp dagger like teeth, making Yugi jump.

"Arghh." He pulled his hand away abruptly causing the furry creature to make a funny squeaking sound and recoil. "It's okay little fella, I won't hurt you." The scowling face he had pulled at his brother confused Kuriboh who didn't seem too sure.

"Kuriboh!" Atem ordered in his rich baritone. For some reason Kuriboh seemed to recognise his voice and responded by jumping to attention, as if waiting orders from its master – its Pharaoh. "It is okay, we are your friends! We will not harm you." Kuriboh blinked and nodded its body. Yugi laughed and tried again.

"Come here Kuriboh." This time Kuriboh came closer and let him scratch the top of its head. After a moment Kuriboh scrunched its eyes up and started purring, nuzzling against Yugi's face; just as it had with master Heba three thousand years ago. "Hey, Kuriboh! That tickles," Yugi giggled.

"He seems to like you Yugi," Sugoroku chuckled.

When Yugi had finished making a fuss of Kuriboh, they let him go back to his realm. "Wow, I can't wait to summon some really powerful monsters," Yugi beamed.

"You should be properly trained first. You saw how wary Kuriboh was until Atem commanded him to behave. If you can't control your monsters they will reap havoc," Sugoroku told him. "Now, how long have we got to pack. I'm coming with you."

"What?! No, you don't need to," Yugi didn't want his grandfather to put himself in any danger.

"I will be fine, I have more experience than all you whipper snappers put together. Besides, someone has to be there when you lose control of your monsters Yugi!" Reluctantly, Yugi agreed.

"We need to be at the Kaiba mansion at ten tomorrow morning Grandpa. Mokuba has arranged for his private jet to fly us there." Yugi didn't want to admit it but having his grandfather with them did give him a little more reassurance.

Sugoroku left them to go and start his own packing. The day he had dreaded was here. With the distraction of Kuriboh, he had not finished telling them that the priests who had held the Millennium items, all failed to destroy Zorc and had all perished in the fight. The beast had grown too powerful for them to do battle against with the monsters they had at their disposal. It had been left to the young Pharaoh to use the power of the Puzzle, to unite the powers of all the other items and invoke the power of the Gods to destroy Zorc. That power had come at a terrible cost to his own soul.

Unfortunately, the wheels had now been set in motion and Sugoroku saw no other alternative than to allow his grandsons to follow their destiny. But he was determined to stand alongside them, and if it came down to it he would give his own life to preserve theirs.

::::::::::::

The atmosphere on the flight was tense. No one knew what to expect.

It had been a while since Mahado had worn the Ring for any length of time, and containing its dark power was rather exhausting. He knew that the items had been forged by sacrificing one hundred souls. Aknadin had apparently chosen a village of thieves to slaughter – but that did not make it any less abhorrent. Each person who had wielded an item, had also left an imprint of their own soul inside it. The Ring contained an excessively dark soul that had been corrupted by the shadows; from which the Ring drew its power, and it took his strongest heka just to control it. He slept for most of the flight.

On the way to the airport, Yugi had rung Sally to tell her what time they expected to arrive in New York. Sally informed him that she had still not heard anything from Anzu and was having to make excuses for her missing class.

During the flight Ishizu experienced a vision. Everyone was quite alarmed when she appeared to black out for a couple of minutes. "What did you see?" Atem asked.

"I.. I saw bright lights in the middle of the desert. I saw two people illuminated by car headlights. They were... I'm not sure what they were doing." She refrained from telling them that it looked like they were burying a body, so as not to alarm anyone.

"Is that supposed to be a clue?!" Mai said in an exasperated tone. "It sounds more like a riddle!"

"Yeah, you need to tell that thing to give us more to go on than that!" Jonouchi grumbled.

"I am afraid that my Tauk has been behaving rather strangely," Ishizu tried to explain. "I am no longer certain it is even working properly!"

"It sounds like you saw the Egyptian desert!" Sugoroku assumed.

The rest of the flight was uneventful. Everyone settled down and tried to get some sleep before they arrived in New York.

::::::::::::

After being possessed by the demon, Anzu had slept for several hours. When she awoke, she was violently sick and suffered convulsions as her body tried to fight against the demon's influence.

"Ugh, what's wrong with me? I must have eaten something that was off!" Like Seto, she had no idea that a demon had taken up residence in her body. Their normal sense of who they were and how they behaved was being manipulated and changed, causing them to develop frightening new personalities.

"Here, drink this, I find it helps." He handed her a mug with some thick red liquid. "It's a raw liver smoothie."

Without even flinching at the thought of drinking the revolting gloop, she snatched it and gulped it down. Belching loudly, she wiped off the excess blood from her lips and then stretched her arms above her head. "Ahh, that feels much better."

"Don't say I never do anything for you!" Seto smirked.

Anzu stood up and ran a seductive hand over his chest. "If you want to do something for me, take me away from this miserable cold New York weather. Maybe we could hit Vegas for some fun?"

He smirked. "Now you're talking." He picked up his phone and arranged for a private jet to take them to Las Vegas.

"I don't have a change of clothes or my passport, so I will need to collect some things from my room before we go," Anzu told him.

He nodded and called for a chauffeur driven car.

::::::::::::

As soon as KC1 landed, Yugi turned his phone from flight to normal mode and noticed that he had a missed call from Sally. He called her back immediately and was horrified at what he heard.

Sally had just finished a workout in the gym and had gone back to her room to shower and change.

She walked in to find Seto Kaiba standing in the living room area. "Seto Kaiba! What are you doing here?" There was something not quite right about him and she felt afraid.

"That's none of your business," he sneered.

Anzu appeared from her room carrying a holdall.

"Where are you going?" Sally asked, full of concern.

"I'm tired and bored of this place. I'm going away for a few days, to have some fun," Anzu said rebelliously.

"But Anzu! We have an assessment in a few days. You've been looking forward to it and training really hard. You wanted to score top marks!" Sally couldn't believe the change in her attitude.

"Yeah, well I don't give a shit any more. There's more to life than dance dance dance," she said with venomous sneer. "So you can all go shove it!"

"But!" She didn't finish. Anzu pushed her out of the way and breezed past, out of the door.

"Save it bitch!" Seto snarled at the poor girl sitting on the floor and then slammed the door behind him as he left.

Sally just sat there stunned. What had happened to her friend?

Yugi was shaking when he came off the phone. "What's the matter Yuge? You look like you've seen a ghost." Jonouchi was at his friend's side to comfort him.

"A.. Anzu's gone." Thinking that she had died, they all looked at him with horrified expressions. "She and Kaiba came back, collected some of her stuff and left. She walked out of the school; out of her dream." He broke down crying. Mai put a comforting arm around him.

"It's okay Yugi, we _will_ find her," she soothed.

"You don't understand," he wailed. "This has been her dream since she was four! She worked so hard to get here. All she ever wanted was to be a professional dancer and star in a Broadway musical. She would never just throw it all away like this!"

"We should search for clues as to where they have gone," Mahado said. "The longer they are possessed the harder it will be to save them."

Yugi pulled himself together. "I want to go to the school first and search her room. Mokuba, have you tried calling your brother again?" Mokuba shook his head.

"He's not answering his phone."

"Okay, then we split into two groups. Jonouchi, Mai, Honda and Grandpa come with me to the school. Yami, can you and Mana go with Mokuba, Ishizu and Mahado and search Kaiba's penthouse suite? Someone must know where they have gone."

Everyone nodded their agreement at Yugi's suggestion. It seemed the logical way to start their search.

Sally met Yugi and his friends at the entrance to the school. A search of Anzu's room, revealed no clues as to where she might have gone. Yugi found Anzu's mobile phone left on the night stand – she obviously didn't want anyone calling her. Next to it he also found a framed photograph of himself with Anzu. Picking it up, he ran his fingers over her image. "I will save you Anzu, I promise," he breathed sadly.

"Hey!" A large hand clamped on his shoulder. Yugi turned to see Jonouchi standing looking over his shoulder. He was normally the tough guy and tried not to show his emotions but Yugi saw that his brown eyes were full of tears. "Everything will be okay Yuge, it has to be," he said, unusually softly for the boisterous blonde.

Yugi smiled weakly. "Yeah... There's something else I need to do before we go." He beckoned Sally over and asked her what would happen to Anzu's place at the school. It seemed that Anzu had already received a warning and was on thin ice. The school would probably contact her parents next and the likely result would be expulsion. The last thing Yugi wanted was for Anzu's parents to become involved in this mess, so he had to try and stop the school contacting them.

Sally took him to the principals office. The principal was surprised at his request. "I must say Mister Mutou, your request is quite unusual. You say Miss Mazaki has been brainwashed by some religious cult, and is now estranged from her parents and friends?! Well that would certainly account for her sudden drop in standards. She was one of our most promising students – such a shame," he sighed. "Very well, I will give you one week to find her and bring her back. After that, I'm afraid I _will_ have to inform her parents that we will be suspending her."

"Thank you." Yugi heaved a sigh of relief for the time he had bought them.

Meanwhile, at the search of Seto's penthouse suite, Mokuba was shocked to find his brother's briefcase, laptop and phone had been left behind. Seto never went anywhere without the means to keep a close eye on his company. The place was also a mess! Yet another indication that something was not right – Seto was normally meticulously tidy and clean. There were empty wine bottles and litter laying around. The bathroom was grubby and the sink was full of hair clippings where he had trimmed his beard - Seto never tolerated dirty bathrooms!

Mahado and Ishizu spoke to the doorman of the hotel, who confirmed that Mr. Kaiba had left with a young woman in a privately hired chauffeur driven car. He gave them the name of the company just across the road called Executive Car Hire.

Re-grouping with Yugi, they all went to visit the company. A rather bored looking receptionist told them that she was not obliged to give out details of clients. "But you have to!" Mokuba became upset. "I need to find my big brother!" The woman looked at him sternly.

"Sorry kid, but I'm not permitted to give out information."

"Look here lady!" Jonouchi banged his fist on the desk angrily and raised his voice. Honda grabbed him and put his hand over Jonouchi's mouth before he made the situation worse. "Mmmphh.." Jonouchi struggled against Honda's hold.

The noise was enough to attract the attention of the manager who came out of his office to see what was going on. Mokuba immediately ran to him. "Please Mister, you have to help me find my brother Seto. I don't know where he has gone and Social Services are threatening to take me into a foster home... Please.." He pretended to sob. "I don't want to be parted from him. Our parents died and he's all I have."

The manager frowned. "Come with me?" Everyone crowded into the small office. "You want to know where Mr. Kaiba has gone? Well, all I can tell you is that one of our cars dropped him at La Guardia Airport two and a half hours ago. I don't know where he was going, but the driver didn't return and we can't raise him on the radio either. His car was found abandoned near the airport by the police and they are investigating. I'm sorry I couldn't help further. I hope you and your brother are soon reunited young man." He smiled and went to show them out.

Back in the penthouse they pondered their next move. They needed to find out where they had flown to and fast. "La Guardia handle mainly domestic flights, so they are probably still in the country," Mai guessed.

"Yeah, like that narrows it down. The States are massive!" Jonouchi groaned.

"What about Kaiba's laptop, would that be of any help?" Atem suggested.

"Yeah!" Yugi had been looking miserable but perked up a little. "Can you hack into it Mokuba?"

"I think so. I'm pretty sure I can." After two failed password attempts, Mokuba guessed right.

"Kisara?!" Yugi, Mai and Jonouchi all chorused.

"Yes, he doesn't think I know, but I found sketches he made of her and in his room. I don't know who she is though," Mokuba explained.

"I never imagined that uptight jerk would have an artistic side," Jonouchi sniggered.

"Or a romantic side!" Mai started laughing.

"Hey! That's my brother you're talking about." Mokuba looked hurt. "Believe it or not Seto is not just a cold businessman, he has a soft side. He just doesn't let many people see it."

"Yeah, like I believe that!" Mai couldn't forget how hostile he had been about the takeover. He even talked to Mokuba like he was inferior, and yet the boy was defending him. "Have you forgotten how he treated everyone, including you, at that meeting? Even without a demon he was a bastard."

"That's just for show! He doesn't like people to see any weaknesses. It helps him carry out his business plans without getting emotionally attached to anyone."

"Can we just concentrate on the task?" Mahado intervened in their argument when he noticed that Mokuba had stopped typing to argue with Mai.

"Yes, search to see if he purchased any air tickets," Yugi suggested. Mokuba did as he was asked.

"Found something!" Mokuba clicked on a link. "Delta Airlines, two tickets to Las Vegas."

"Lights in the desert! Must be the neon lights of Vegas! Maybe your Tauk is not malfunctioning after all Ishizu," Atem observed. Ishizu swallowed and suppressed a shudder at the part she had not told them.

"Any hotel bookings?" She asked, trying to keep her voice level.

"Nothing!" Mokuba kept searching.

"Are they return tickets?" Yugi wondered if they might spend the night gambling and fly back the following morning.

"Open tickets, I think."

"How quickly can KC1 get us to Vegas?" Atem hoped Kaiba Corp had enough influence to get a flight plan lodged and approved as quickly as he hoped they could.

"Pretty quick," Mokuba said confidently and grabbed his phone to make a call.

"Shouldn't we wait until they get back?" Mana asked.

"We have to catch them. The longer they are on the run, the more damage they might do. The driver of the car that dropped them off has disappeared. My guess is he's dead!" Sugoroku explained.

"And we don't even know if they will come back here!" Mahado added. "Who knows what they might get up to. There is already one unsolved murder in this city, and there may be others yet to be discovered. I don't want bodies piling up. We have got to stop them," he stated firmly.

One hour later they were airborne and headed for Las Vegas.

With the clubs and casinos open all night and day, Las Vegas was the perfect hunting ground for the two demons.

They hired a car and headed straight to one of the largest casino's for a gambling spree, in which Seto showed a very impressed Anzu, just how good he was at winning. The chips were soon piling up.

Cashing in Seto's winnings, they went for a meal and then headed to a club and embarked on a drinking binge. With their demon strength, they could hold an awful lot of hard liquor without getting very drunk.

Winking at one of the call girls sitting at the bar, waiting to pick up a customer, Seto sat down on the stool next to her. After a few moments the pair got up and were joined by Anzu as they left the club.

From the call girls perspective, they appeared to be filthy rich and therefore should pay well and be a good target for a little extra pick pocketing. Little did she know that she was the one who was the target.

* * *

 **It looks like catching a demon is not going to be as easy as they hoped!**

 **Please review.**


	25. Chapter 25

Having never been there before, I had fun researching about Las Vegas. Thank you Aqua Burst 07 for sharing some knowledge about the city.

Warnings: Mentions of drugs, alcohol, death and gambling.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh.

* * *

Broken Dreams

Chapter 25 Searching Casinos

Once they were outside, Seto offered the woman $100 to go with them.

She eyed him cautiously. He was handsome and had the appearance of someone who was extremely wealthy. The woman with him seemed pretty sophisticated too – she looked like an athlete and carried herself gracefully.

"Okay, that'll buy you an hour. If you want kinky stuff, it will cost you double!" She added, casting an eye over Anzu.

"Very well, follow me," he ordered.

As one of the many 'lost souls' scratching an existence in the city; desperate for her next drugs fix, the woman agreed - two hundred dollars for an hours work was too good to refuse.

It was roughly a ten minute walk to the cheap motel, which was conveniently close to the airport and had free parking - they had hired a car and had checked into the motel when they had first arrived in Las Vegas. Seto had chosen this place because he would be less likely to meet anyone who knew him. He could check in using a false name, without anyone questioning his identity - no one would ever imagine Seto Kaiba staying in a place like this! And He did not intend to spend long in this dump anyway.

The trio went into the clean but rather basic room. Snarling, the demons canines slid into place.

"Hey! What the...?!" The woman did not have time to finish. Seto grabbed her and clamped his hand over her mouth, firmly, preventing her from screaming or from making any sound that would alert anyone in nearby rooms. He held onto her tightly, with her back pressed against his body, and although she struggled, he was far too strong. Smirking with pleasure at the fear in his prey, he tilted her head to one side so that he could get a good bite into her jugular. Before biting, he licked over the pulse point in her neck - she tasted and smelled of nicotine. He expected to feel a slight rush from the chemicals he suspected would be flowing in her bloodstream, and when he bit into her neck he was not disappointed.

Anzu watched on, smirking at the woman's futile struggle for survival. Seto's appetite was voracious and after a minute or two the woman weakened and her body started to go limp. Anzu suddenly realized he was going to drink her dry.

"Hey! Save some for me?!" She grabbed Seto by the hair and pulled his head up. He responded by snarling at her; possessive of his prey. However, after a moment he obliged and released the woman so that Anzu's demon could feed – he was more or less full anyway.

::::::::::::

"Geez! Where the heck do we start?!" Jonouchi felt daunted by their task. They were standing in front of the Luxor Hotel and Casino, looking along the Strip at all the brightly lit bars, casinos and restaurants. It was noisy and extremely busy.

The intrepid band of would be demon hunters had arrived in Las Vegas and were only now starting to realise just how difficult it might be to track them down.

"It's like looking for a needle in a haystack," Yugi sighed.

"Well, I suggest we start by looking in the casinos!" Sugoroku rubbed his hands together with glee. It had been years since he had been to Las Vegas and he wondered if he still had the Midas touch.

"Grandpa! Were not here to gamble! We're here to find Anzu and Kaiba – remember?" Yugi was mortified by his grandfather's suggestion.

"Your grandfather is right Yugi, Seto Kaiba is known to enjoy gaming, so the casinos might be the best place to start looking." Mahado held the Millennium Ring up and frowned when the pointers hung limp. "However, I don't think they are nearby."

"I wish the Tauk would show me something! What about your Puzzle Yugi?" Ishizu sighed when Yugi shook his head despondently.

"Well maybe all the bright lights and noise are somehow blocking the items. Don't forget they were made long before we had electricity," Mana said, trying to be helpful.

"You could be right Mana, but I think it's more likely they are just not in range!" Mahado replied.

"Are you sure the Puzzle is not sensing anything Yugi?" Atem asked. Yugi clutched the Puzzle and closed his eyes.

"Nope! Nothing," He shook his head sadly.

"Well, they must be inside one of the casinos. The quicker we start looking the more chance we stand of finding them." Sugoroku could not wait to feel the buzz of being inside a casino again.

"Anzu doesn't really approve of gambling," Yugi frowned. She didn't mind him playing Duel Monsters or games at the arcade, but if he went anywhere near a pachinko machine she would get irritable with him and drag him away, saying it was a waste of money.

"Yes, but Anzu is not in control of her own mind," Mahado reminded him.

"Okay, well lets start in this one." Sugoroku hurried towards the Luxor Hotel. Yugi stopped him.

"Wait up Grandpa! I think we should split up into pairs and spend no longer than ten minutes in each place. We need to ask around and show the photos of Anzu and Kaiba to door staff, bar staff and hotel desk clerks. Someone must have seen them."

"I agree with Yugi." Atem took Mana by the hand. "There are a lot of places to visit. It will be faster in pairs."

"Yeah, I vote Mahado and Ishizu start their search in Hooters," Mai sniggered, knowing how straight laced the pair were. Mahado looked at her, confused. Ishizu was somewhat perplexed and glared at Mai disapprovingly – she had heard about Hooters!

"What's Hooters?!" Jonouchi asked dumbly. Mai winked at him and whispered that it had a bit of a reputation. "Oh!" Both Jonouchi and Honda's eyes lit up.

"Bags I go to Hooters!" Honda beamed. Mahado cleared his throat and fixed them with a stern look.

"We are not here to have fun so I don't want any of you getting carried away. This is serious business, and very dangerous! So if any of you do happen to spot them, do not approach them! Call me and we will tackle them together. Is that clear?" Mahado said assertively.

"Okay, I suggest we start here and work our way along," Atem concluded.

Since Ishizu did not approve of gambling, she stayed with Mokuba who was too young to be allowed into any of the casinos. The two of them would check the restaurants that were more family friendly.

Inside the casino at the Luxor, Sugoroku made straight for the one armed bandits. Yugi rolled his eyes in part irritation and part amusement.

"Grandpa!"

"Please Yugi, let this old man have just a little bit of fun before he gets too past it?!"

Yugi sighed. He really wanted to play the machines too, but now was not really the time. "Okay, five minutes, and I'm timing you." It wasn't long before he was also tempted to join in. He felt sure the Puzzle would let him know if Anzu and Seto were nearby.

On his fourth play, Yugi got a big win. Sugoroku startled at the celebratory sound of coins falling. "That's my grandson," he stated proudly to envious onlookers.

Knowing they should now concentrate on their search, they went to claim Yugi's $50'000 winnings. As they approached the counter Yugi felt the Puzzle grow warm against his chest. He cupped his hands around it and closed his eyes. An image appeared in his mind for a moment and he knew that Anzu and Kaiba had been in this exact spot. He quickly pulled out the photographs he had in his pocket. "Have you seen two people who look like this?" Yugi asked the cashier.

She took the photographs and scrutinised them. She had a good memory for faces and they looked familiar. "Yeah, I think I have. Although, the woman had her hair dyed blonde and the gentleman had a beard and shorter hair. But it was definitely them – they were Japanese, like you. Are they friends of yours?"

"Yes, How long ago were they in here? Only we were supposed to meet them, but we got split up and can't find them anywhere," Yugi explained.

"Ah ha! Well they cashed in a big win like yourself about two hours ago. I dunno where they headed afterwards. Sorry I couldn't be of more help. Now how do you wish to take your winnings?" Yugi opted to take five thousand dollars in cash; to cover any expenses they encountered, and arranged for the rest to be wired to his bank account.

"Enjoy the rest of your stay gentlemen," the cashier smiled.

"Thank you," Yugi bowed his head politely and turned to his grandfather. "We should tell Mahado. They can't be too far away." How wrong he was.

Their continued search proved fruitless and the Millennium items did not give them any more clues. So with their hopes dashed, the exhausted group decided to call it a night at three in the morning.

They had spotted what looked like a reasonably priced motel on the way in from the airport, and decided that they should head there to get a few hours sleep.

Yugi doubted that a man like Seto Kaiba would ever consider staying in a cheap motel, but it was worth a try. He stood in front of the rows of prefabricated units and clasped his hands around the Puzzle. Closing his eyes, he pictured Anzu as he last remembered her.

The Puzzle started to feel warm and he got an image of a door to one of the rooms on the ground floor with the number 172 visible on it. A dark blue Nissan rental car was parked in the parking bay in front of it. He opened his eyes and gasped.

"They might be here!" Everyone immediately stopped walking and turned around to look at him.

"Are you sure Yugi?!" Atem enquired.

"I'm not sensing anything. There may be too much noise pollution." Mahado pulled the ring out from under his shirt and frowned as the pointers hung limp.

"What shall we do?!" Mana clung nervously to Atem's arm.

"I suggest we head into reception and see if we can get some rooms, then we can have a look around without appearing suspicious," Atem said.

Every one nodded and they went into the reception area where a bored looking man was reading a magazine.

"Excuse me!" Mahado cleared his throat. "Would it be possible to have five double rooms please?" He asked politely.

"Yeah, sure." The man reluctantly put down his magazine, yawned and pulled his swivel chair up to the computer. He typed in something and then rasped "Names?" Mahado gave their names and paid for the rooms with his credit card.

"What a rude man," Ishizu whispered as they were pointed in the direction of their rooms by another member of the night staff.

"I don't suppose he can help being grouchy – its half past three in the morning!" Atem let out a yawn of his own.

Luckily, the rooms they had been given were fairly close to the room numbered 172. Since the motel was right next to the airport it was also pretty noisy! They arrived in front of the room Yugi had seen in his vision.

"I saw a blue Nissan, but there is no car here now!" Yugi was getting a bad feeling that they might have left already.

"It may not have been their car you saw, so lets not give up just yet. The Ring is reacting slightly." Mahado held out the ring and one of the pointers twitched.

"Perhaps we should make certain," Ishizu whispered. Mahado nodded and stepped towards the door.

Everyone was nervous as he prepared to knock. He tapped quietly and waited but there was no answer.

"They won't hear a soppy little tap like that!" Jonouchi said loudly, hammering on the door. Everyone frowned and told him to be quieter.

"There are people trying to sleep you idiot!" Mai whispered.

"We don't want to attract attention moron!" Honda hissed.

"I'm surprised anyone will hear us anyway with that noise!" Mana cringed as a jet took off from the nearby runway.

"Sorry," Jonouchi shouted above the noise of the jet engines and banged again. Still no answer.

"Why aren't they answering?" Mokuba fretted.

"Hey, pizza delivery," Honda said assertively, hammering on the door and forgetting his own advice about being quiet.

"It's no good," Yugi groaned. "I'm gonna get the receptionist to open the door." He ran back to reception. The man he spoke to was not happy about being asked to open the door to an occupied room. Yugi explained to him that his friend was staying there and that she had a severe health problem. He was worried because she had been drinking and had forgotten her medicine. Without it, she could be in a coma and possibly die. Yugi had an honest face and sounded very convincing so the man believed him and called the senior receptionist over, who cursed angrily. Only last week, a male occupant at the motel had died of a drugs overdose, and the police had shut them down for a day while they investigated. Not wanting any more deaths on the premises, he begrudgingly agreed to open the door for them. Relieved there were no dead bodies, the man went back to reception.

The room was now empty, save for a stiletto shoe, which Yugi knew did not belong to Anzu because it was too big.

On closer inspection, Mahado noticed some tiny droplets of blood on the floor. He explained that the demon probably needed to feed on human blood to survive.

Yugi felt utterly devastated. They had been so close and yet Anzu had slipped through his fingers. In a rare display of anger he swore and threw the stiletto at the wall. It was distressing for him to think that his girlfriend had killed someone and consumed their blood! He felt nauseous.

"C'mon Yuge, were all a bit knackered, let's try and get some sleep." Jonouchi squeezed his shoulder. He felt just as sick as Yugi, but was doing his best not to let his distress show.

Mokuba just stood in the doorway trembling. How could his brother and Yugi's girlfriend do something so nasty?! He was only fifteen and he found it distressing.

"Are you alright Mokuba?" Mai noticed that he seemed afraid to enter the room and went to comfort him.

"Just try to remember, it is not Anzu and Seto who are behaving like this, it is the monster inside them," Ishizu tried to soothe everyone, but it did not help quell the uneasy feeling she felt when remembering the vision she had seen: Two people burying a body in the desert!

"Yeah, you're right." Yugi's voice was a little shaky. They all trudged to their rooms to try and get a few hours sleep before planning their next move.

::::::::::::

After burying the body in the desert, Anzu and Seto didn't go back to the motel, instead they set out in the direction of Los Angeles.

It would be six seeks before the body would be discovered – yet another case that left police baffled and confused.

::::::::::::

The next day, everyone went to a nearby diner for a late breakfast and to discuss their options. No one had slept well and Yugi had not slept at all. Terrible thoughts had plagued him about who the stiletto might belong to and what had probably happened to her. The idea that his girlfriend had been feasting on the blood of another human was abhorrent. Unshaven and with tired bags under his eyes, he sat picking at his sausage, egg, bacon, beans and hash browns.

"If you ain't gonna eat that Yugi, can I have it?" Jonouchi asked hopefully. Exhaustion made him hungry and he had already devoured his own large breakfast. Yugi pushed the plate towards him. "Go ahead, I don't know how you can even eat right now," he grumbled. He opted to just drink the coffee – at least it helped keep him alert.

"They have obviously left here. Where do you think they might have gone?" Atem voiced.

"They have a hire car, so they could have gone anywhere!" Sugoroku answered

"I think we should go back to New York, and wait," Mahado suggested. Ishizu agreed with him.

"Seto left most of his stuff in New York, so I think it is logical to assume they will go back there," she reasoned.

"Has anyone got any other ideas?" Sugoroku looked at all the tired, depressed faces. They all shook their heads. Mahado's suggestion did seem the best.

Back in New York, they waited for two days but the couple didn't return. Everyone was starting to worry about being away from work and the university for any length of time.

While they waited, Mahado took the opportunity to teach Yugi and Atem how to use the powers of the Millennium Puzzle.

Everyone was amazed when Atem summoned the Dark Magician.

"He looks even more like you in real life Mahado!" A very impressed Jonouchi gasped.

"Looks pretty hot in that outfit too," Mai joked, making Mahado feel embarrassed for his ancestor's choice of attire.

"His outfit is designed to be functional, not hot!" He blushed, glancing at Ishizu, who's face also looked slightly flushed as she pictured her own Mahado in the same attire. Mai had not intended to make them feel so embarrassed.

"Seriously though, I think it's amazing that you guys can summon real spirits from another realm. I only hope that there is something us ordinary people, without any special powers, can do to help."

"Yeah, and who would have thought my two best buddies would be Egyptian royalty!" Jonouchi grinned at Yugi and Atem.

Having their support and understanding made Ishizu smile. For the first time in her life she felt like she belonged in the modern world. They had all accepted this madness without question and vowed to do anything they could to help Yugi and Atem defeat this demon, and were determined to save Anzu and Seto.

Honda had told her that they were big fans of Sci Fi, and had seen enough horror movies to know what they were dealing with.

If only it were that simple! She hoped that Honda and Jonouchi's over excitement would not cause them to underestimate the danger they might be face. They needed to understand that not all realms were friendly or safe: many of the creatures were dangerous and volatile, only the most gifted people could control them and in the wrong hands they could be used to destroy empires! If Zorc were to be released from the Shadow Realm, the whole world could be destroyed.

The dark Magician knelt before Atem and Yugi with his head bowed. Both twins looked slightly embarrassed – neither had ever had anyone kneel before them before.

"He is awaiting your orders. He is the spirit of my ancestor Mahaad. While it was his duty to serve your father as a priest, he was also a good and loyal friend. He sacrificed his mortal life so that his spirit could protect your father, even after death. Since you are the Pharaoh's sons, it is now his duty to protect you. I too am prepared to give my life to protect you." Yugi was mortified by Mahado's statement.

"Mahado! No! I would never let you die for me!" The Dark Magician startled and looked up.

"And neither would I," Atem added forcefully. "This demon can and _will_ be defeated without you giving your life Mahado."

"As the most senior person here, I will not let any of you throw your lives away. If there is any sacrificing to do then it should be me," Sugoroku added.

"Yeah, and I would throw myself to the demon before I let it kill any of you!" Jonouchi chipped in.

"NO!" Yugi almost shrieked. "Guys! Will you stop it?! We don't want anyone to die for us! Do I make myself clear?"

"Yeah! Lighten up everyone? Will you all stop being so morbid!" Mai said assertively.

"Let's just get back to the lesson, shall we?" Ishizu decided.

"Okay," Yugi nodded and chose one of his duel monsters to summon.

 _Ten minutes later:_

Mahado had finally managed to contain and return Feral Imp to its own realm.

"I still think it's cool you guys can summon real monsters!" Mokuba grinned at a rather dishevelled looking Yugi.

"Yeah, I just wish I could make them obey me though." Yugi sagged and looked around at the trashed apartment where Feral Imp had run amok. Maybe he should give the puzzle to Atem, he seemed to handle the monsters he summoned without any difficulty.

"Don't be disheartened Yugi," Ishizu comforted. "I'm afraid the Imp is known for being very mischievous."

The following morning, and with still no sign of Anzu or Seto returning, they went home to Domino. Sugoroku could not afford to leave the shop unattended for much longer and everyone else had to go back to work or university. They had no idea where Seto and Anzu could be heading next, and neither the Puzzle or the Tauk were showing them anything. They needed to come up with a new plan as to how to find the demon pair. Ishizu had some ideas already.

"I will ask Shadi to do some research to try and predict where they might go and what they intend to do. I will also talk to Pegasus and my brothers. Seto is the main threat as I believe he is being manipulated by the part of Zorc's soul that survived. He sees Anzu as his servant, and it worries me that he might view her as dispensable. If I were to hazard a guess, then I would presume that he intends to kill as many people as he can and sacrifice their souls to the shadows in return for Zorc's resurrection, so that he can be re-united with himself."

"Man that's scary!" Jonouchi gasped.

"More than scary Jonouchi! If Anzu is just his pawn then I have to find her, urgently!" Yugi cried.

Sally promised Yugi that she would call him immediately should Anzu return, but he didn't hold out any hope. It seemed that she was completely under the influence of this demon and was unwittingly throwing away everything she cared about.

::::::::::::

After spending a couple of days prowling the national parks in search of victims, Anzu and Seto headed to Los Angeles, checking into a cheap motel under false names to avoid being recognised.

"The Shadows are hungry for more souls, we need to collect more," Seto growled.

"How many have we sacrificed so far?

"Fourteen in total. If the news reports are correct, only three of the bodies have been found so far."

"But no one will suspect us!"

"It does not appear they have even linked the deaths. And I am certain they will never find the bodies of those hikers. If they do, they will most likely blame wild bears."

"We are too clever for them," she let out a sinister giggle.

"That still does not mean we can get sloppy," he warned her.

"So, where do we go next?"

"We should split up and start hunting for the Millennium items," Seto told her.

"Do we know who has them?" Anzu asked. Seto smirked.

"I have a feeling the Millennium items will come to us! I already know that woman, Ishizu has one. I also know that Pegasus has the Eye. I saw him wearing it at a business conference and thought it was some fancy false eye or a rather ridiculous monocle! Now I know what it really is, I plan to pay him a visit."

"Shall I attempt to obtain Ishizu's necklace?"

"Is it wise to go back to Domino so soon – or are you pining for Yugi Mutou?" He raised a suspicious eyebrow at her.

"I think Ishizu might know where the other items are. I have a plan that might help us obtain them." He looked at her blankly and she smirked. "I have a friend who might be able to help."

"You are so evil," he snarled, pulling her close and roughly kissing her. She responded by digging her sharp nails into his back, sending shivers of lust down his spine.

::::::::::::

The following morning, Anzu booked onto a flight back to Japan, using the forged papers that Seto had provided her with.

For each victim she had fed upon, the demon inside her soul grew stronger. The demon had learned much from her memories: in particular, about the two young men she seemed to hold a particular affection for. One of them was called Atem, and she had harboured some sort of silly crush on him in the past. Could this be the Pharaoh that had defeated him and his pets, Aknadin and the Thief, three millennia ago? The image of him in her mind certainly would indicate a similarity.

The other brat, Yugi, whom she was in love with, reminded him of the irritating younger brother of the Pharaoh. He had tried to be a hero, but he had been easy to kill. He remembered the wonderful feeling when Bakura had tortured him and then snapped his feeble human neck, before tying the naked body to its horse and sending it back to the palace as a warning.

The Thief had been a master at the art of stealth and had managed to sneak into the palace unseen, to witness the young Pharaoh break down hysterically at the sight of his brother's mutilated body. Oh! What a delightful sight it had been. It had almost been a shame when the time came, for Aknadin to sacrifice Bakura, once his purpose had been served.

"No!" Anzu woke up in a pool of sweat, screaming. The remnants of her human soul had witnessed the thoughts of the demon in her mind. "I won't do it, I won't hurt them," she cried.

 _Don't fight me you bitch, you pathetic vessel._ This human was feisty and had a strong personality. But she was no match for a monster.

Meanwhile, Seto contacted Industrial Illusions, only to find out that Pegasus was away on a business trip and would not be back for a few days. Rather than hang around, he decided to fly back to New York to collect some of his belongs.

When he arrived at the penthouse and saw that someone else had been there, he flew into a rage. Where was his laptop and phone? He found an envelope on the table and immediately recognised the handwriting as Mokuba's:

 _Dear Seto,_

 _I came to find you and take you home._

 _After following you to Las Vegas and not being able to find you, I came back here in the hope you might return._

 _You are sick and need urgent help. I have some friends who can help you. So please, please, please come home._

 _I love you big brother._

 _Mokuba._

 _P.S. I didn't think you would return so I have your laptop and phone._

A small part of Seto suddenly surfaced. "Mokuba, I'm sorry," he whispered as a tear rolled down his cheek. "What is happening to me?" He growled as a part of his own soul fought against his possessor. Gripping his head, he fell to his knees as a agonising pain shot through his chest and head. The demon was punishing him for trying to resist.

Weakened, Seto had no choice but to succumb once more to the demon.

* * *

 **And... we still have two demons on the loose! Are the hunters about to become the hunted?**

 **Please review.**


	26. Chapter 26

We have a bit of a twist in the plot for this chapter!

Warning: Violent death of a minor character, a small amount of bad language, adult themes and sexual activity - non explicit, but not recommended for children.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.

* * *

Broken Dreams

Chapter 26. Return to Domino

Arriving in Domino, Anzu did not return to her family home. Instead, she found a small apartment in an area she knew her old friends would not be familiar with. It was in a seedy part of town, inhabited by prostitutes and drug dealers. It was also close to a club that had a notice in the window asking for new dancers. It would be a good distraction for the vessel and would keep its body in the good shape it was already in - a fit body was much more useful than a hopeless out of shape one.

Now to put her plan into action. She did not care that Seto had warned her to be cautious about challenging Ishizu or the Mutou twins on her own. If she dealt with them herself, she would be removing the main threat to their plans to resurrect their master. And when it came to ruling at Zorc's side, her actions, if successful, would gain her favour over Seto.

Firstly, Anzu purchased a little Kei car with tinted windows so that she could drive by her friends usual haunts without being spotted by anyone who might know her.

She drove to the Kame Game store and parked in a side street adjacent to the Mutou home. The demon felt its hosts heart rate quicken when a young man arrived home, sporting wild black magenta tipped hair, with blonde bangs that framed his youthful, but handsome face. So this was Yugi; the young man the demon's host was in love with. He bore a remarkable resemblance to the brother of the Pharaoh – what was his name? The demon found that after 3000 years, names were hard to remember!

The demon could feel a strong resistance from its host – a desire not to hurt him. For now, the demon would comply. It wasn't interested in this small fry at the moment anyway - the demon had plans for him in the future. It was the Pharaoh's lookalike that the demon wanted.

About half an hour later, a sports car pulled up and a second young man, lean and fit looking, in a tracksuit bearing the local football team colours of dark blue with light blue and gold trim, got out of the car. He went to the boot of the car and pulled out a sports bag. Slamming the boot shut, he sauntered into the game store. The likeness was uncanny, take away the modern clothing and replace it with his ancient royal attire and he looked exactly like the Pharaoh that had put an end to Master Zorc's plan to rule the human world, right down to the name. Exacting revenge on this man would feel just like taking revenge on the Pharaoh.

Anzu waited for another hour but neither man came back out of the house and it was now getting dark. Anzu had to be at work in another half an hour so she went home to get ready.

The club was full of the usual sleazy punters. They were the type of people the real Anzu despised. Many were men who were away from their wives on business trips and were there just to watch the dancers. Some of them were after a bit of fun with a lap dancer, while others wanted more. Deep inside her heart, Anzu's true soul felt repulsed by it all. But there was nothing she could do to stop herself from performing her dance routine – if she could even call it that! Dressed in the skimpiest thong and lacy bra; dirty, provocative and thrusting would be more appropriate.

As she slid the inside of her thigh up and down the pole, she heard a familiar voice. "Mazaki?!"

She glanced over to see the ugly, brutish figure of Tetsu Ushio leering at her. _Oh great!_ Deep inside her heart, Anzu's true soul screamed that she wanted to ignore him. The demon controlling her had other ideas and reacted by pouting seductively at him.

He responded by reaching forward and stroking her thigh while tucking some Yen notes into her thong.

"Well, well, who'd have though you would end up dancing in a place like this," he leered. He was right, it was a long way from her dream.

It was not unusual for many of the girls to pick up punters and go upstairs with them. Some girls even left with punters, in the hope of finding a wealthy boyfriend who could take them away from this sort of life. The demon in Anzu sensed her dislike of the man and decided to pick him up as a potential sacrifice.

Once her routine had finished, Anzu left with him.

"What happened to that little runt you used to hang out with?" He was feeling pretty pleased with himself for pulling Anzu. This chick wouldn't have looked at someone like him twice when they were at school.

"I got bored with him!"

When they rounded the corner from the club he pulled her into an alleyway. Shoving her roughly up against the wall, he started to grope his hands up the back of her thighs. She resisted his attempt to pull her legs apart, which resulted in him slapping her face. He was a brute, who enjoyed roughing up any woman unlucky enough to be picked up by him.

Grabbing her arms, he tightened his grip and aimed a wet, slobbery kiss at her lips, but she turned her face away and his rough mouth and teeth caught the side of her jaw instead. Not happy about this, he grabbed her hair and twisted it tightly in his fist so that he could stop her turning away from him. It was at that moment that their eyes met. He almost let out a squeak at the dark, soulless navy of her eyes. Her mouth was twisted up in a slight smirk and her incisors appeared to resemble sharp pointed daggers.

A pained wheeze escaped him as he felt a hand that was almost too strong to be hers, clamp over his groin and squeeze so hard that his eyes almost popped out of their sockets. He nearly vomited from the pain of the ball crushing grip.

"You piece of shit!" Anzu growled in a venomous voice, that was clearly not her own. The would-be aggressor, was terrified.

He felt a stinging pain in his neck as she bit down, draining his blood. Ugh, it was not the best tasting blood but it would do. His life force quickly drained away until his body was left lifeless and empty.

Anzu had been wearing silk gloves throughout, so that she would not leave any finger prints behind. Taking his knife from his pocket, she stabbed him in the neck where she had bitten into his jugular vein, before dragging the body deeper into the passageway which led to a main entrance into the sewer system. She pulled the heavy metal cover up with ease. The smell that came up was quite horrible and even made the demon gag slightly – humans produced a lot of effluence. She threw the body in and went home. She took a long hot shower and then went to bed.

Ushio had many enemies in the world of drug dealers. The death would probably be put down to a gangland killing. The last person they would be looking for was a delicate, five foot five woman.

::::::::::::

The next day, Anzu resumed her vigil outside the Mutou home. Yugi and Atem returned home together at around four in the afternoon. About an hour later, Atem reappeared, wearing a running vest, shorts and trainers. She watched and admired his physique as he limbered up outside the shop before setting off along a path that took him towards the canal. Anzu vaguely remembered that he and Yugi had a 10 kilometre loop they often did as a training run. He was pretty quick and if she remembered correctly, it used to take him around 38 minutes to complete it.

Putting her plan into action, she drove along the road that lead to the other end of the canal path, where she knew he would emerge before running through the park and back towards home. If she guessed correctly, he should reach that point in around twenty minutes.

Parking the car, she got out and let down one of the tyres.

Just as she predicted, he emerged after nineteen minutes – he must be getting quicker! She put on her best helpless young woman act and stood looking at the flat tyre.

The moment he saw her he stopped in his tracks and gasped. "Anzu!" Unsure what to expect from someone possessed by a demon he decided to be wary of her and stood his distance. "Are you okay? When did you get back?"

"Not long... a day or two. I'm fine.. I just wasn't sure if anyone would want to see me after what happened." She smiled at him nervously. He frowned. Was this an act, or was she cured now?

"You really should get in touch with Yugi, he is extremely worried about you, and your parents have also been going out of their minds."

"I will," she bit her lip. "I just can't face anyone right now." She looked genuinely remorseful. Atem wanted to be sympathetic but was still uncertain if it was all just an act.

"Do you need help with that wheel?" He gestured at the flat tyre.

"Oh, yes please, I have no idea how to change it."

"We could try pumping it up. There's a garage about ten minutes drive away. It might stay inflated long enough to get you there." He checked the tyre to see if there were any signs of damage and couldn't see any nails or glass protruding from it. Taking the foot pump from the boot, he inflated it. "Seems fine to me," he observed, "It should get you to the garage without any problems."

"Thank you." She was dangerously close so he stepped back slightly and found himself leaning against the car with her almost pressed against him.

"I.. er.. should be finishing my run," he said nervously, trying to slide out sideways. Her face fell into a sad pout as she moved with him and blocked his escape.

"Are you sure you don't want to come back for a coffee? I don't live far away, and I could sure use a friend right now."

Without the Millennium Puzzle or Ankh he felt vulnerable. If he did go back to her apartment, he would find out where she was living! But would he be safe? Under normal circumstances he knew he would be stronger than her. However, if she was still possessed by a demon, she might be unpredictable - and possibly stronger than a normal person. No, he definitely should not risk putting himself in danger! The best course of action would be to tell Mahado that he had seen her and then use the Ring or the Puzzle to locate her. "No, I don't think so.. I need to finish my run. You must ring Yugi though, the pair of you need to talk... about... stuff."

 _Hmph! Reasoning with him using charm, clearly isn't working._ The demon cursed to itself. It would need to use much stronger mind control.

"But I want to talk to you," she groaned. "You're so much more... understanding and mature. I always liked talking things through with you." Her eyes flashed with a hint of something he did not recognise and he felt himself becoming dizzy. The next moment, he was unable to stop himself from getting into her car. She quickly dashed round to the drivers side and got in.

"Thank you Yami, I really appreciate this."

"It's no trouble. A quick coffee and a chat won't do any harm," he found himself saying against his will. Inside, his mind was screaming at him that this was a bad idea, but somehow he could not move to get out of the car.

Smiling at him disarmingly, Anzu pulled away from the kerb and drove towards her apartment block in the red light district of Domino City.

"You live here?!" Atem was shocked, she had always been outspoken about her dislike of this area of the city, and the degrading things sex workers were forced to do for the fulfilment of others dirty fantasies.

She shrugged. "No one would expect to find me here, it's the perfect place to hide. And no one here asks any questions, either."

She parked in the residents car park, that was situated beneath the block of flats and ushered him to an elevator. It was out of order so they took the stairs which smelt of stale urine and had walls covered in graffiti. The place was quite literally horrible. "Is your car safe here?"

"Yes, there's CCTV in the car park. We do get homeless people sleeping in here sometimes, they tend to be harmless so the residents leave them alone." She took him up to the third floor, and along a grubby corridor with a dark brown linoleum floor (which had seen better days) and dirty, scratched magnolia coloured walls that were in desperate need of re-painting. She unlocked the door to her apartment and they went in.

Atem looked around at the tatty décor. Anzu had inadvertently relaxed the control she was asserting on him, so his senses were returning to normal and he was starting to feel nervous. "Perhaps I should be going. I should have been home by now, they will start to worry. Mana is coming round for dinner at seven as well, and I will need to get showered and changed. It's already six o'clock!" He did not normally ramble, but nerves were causing him to make all the excuses he could think of.

"Just have a quick drink, please? I will drive you home afterwards." Her pleading with him, forced him to relent.

They sat down together on the thread bare couch to drink their tea. Atem made sure he sat as far from her as possible and watched warily as Anzu stirred the pot, ensuring the tea was well infused, before pouring it into two chipped mugs. There did not appear to be anything suspicious in her actions so he relaxed a little.

"How is Yugi?" She suddenly said.

"After what you did! Not good. He is going out of his mind worrying about you. You two really do need to talk." Was that a wise thing to say. If she was possessed it might antagonise her.

"Oh," she said slowly and sadly. Atem caught the sadness in her voice and started to feel hopeful that she might actually be free of the demon. But he was shocked by how suddenly her demeanour changed.

"So what! Yugi will just have to get over it, because I don't care about him anymore." She turned to him with a wicked look. "You were always my first choice." She reached over and ran her hand up his bare arm to his exposed shoulder, making him shiver nervously. "Are you getting cold in just a vest?"

"No! Maybe-" He tried to sound confident as he stood up and backed away from her, towards the door. "Look! I gotta go." When he tried to make a dash for the door, she leaped forward like a tiger attacking its prey. Grabbing him, she threw him forcefully onto the sofa. He was surprised at how quickly she moved and at how strong she was.

Before he could move to try and get away again, she jumped on him, straddling his hips and pinning him down. Her hand immediately moved down his chest to the front of his shorts.

"Get off me?! I don't want to have to hurt you," he barked, trying to sound threatening. In truth, he was terrified and doubted he could match her strength if she _was_ possessed by a demon.

She leaned towards him as she massaged him through the thin material of his shorts. He gulped and almost let out an unmanly squeal as he tried to squirm himself free, but she dug her fingers into the pressure point in his groin causing him to yelp in pain. He hated the idea of hurting a woman but he was left with no choice but to punch her to get her off him.

However, her demon reactions were too fast and she caught his fist, squeezing so hard, he thought it might break. But he was not going down without a fight and continued to struggle.

"Naughty boy," she taunted. Deciding that she'd had enough of her prey fighting back, she reasserted her most powerful mind control over him, rendering him as helpless as a kitten.

She started kissing him and he could do nothing to stop her or get away. It was as if his body was being controlled and manipulated by an invisible force. He was quite quickly losing his self control and cursed inwardly when he started to become aroused.

"I have wanted you for so long Yami," she purred, leading him to the bed. In a trance like state, he followed her.

"And now you've got me." He snarled unintentionally, pushing her to the bed and pulling her underwear down roughly, while nipping at the skin on the inside of her thighs. He had no control over what he was doing and was completely under her mind spell.

What ensued was a rather brutal session. And when she dug her fingers into his backside, he was sure her nails would leave marks on his skin.

Her hands gripped his buttocks firmly, pulling his hips into her to indicate she wanted him to thrust harder. He obliged.

Full control over him was just what the demon controlling Anzu wanted; Atem was the puppet at her mercy. In his trace-like state, she could make him do anything she wanted.

Deep inside her mind, Anzu was crying. Her mouth was being used to nip and suck on Atem's neck, she couldn't shake the feeling that he tasted and smelt like Yugi. The random thought that he probably used the same cinnamon and apple shampoo crossed her mind, because his hair smelt delicious and had the same silky feel as Yugi's.

She suddenly felt herself climax and instinctively arched her back into him. It felt as though she was a spectator in her own body, and as she felt him release she cried out. "Yugi!" A small sob escaped at the same time. "Yugi, I'm sorry." Why was the demon letting her experience this? Why could it not just lock her away in her soul room and block out all sensation.

Atem heard her cries for Yugi and felt a jolt as his own mind became free from the control the demon had over him. However, he was unable to stop in the middle of his climax.

The moment it was over, he pulled away and rolled onto his back. Tears were welling in his eyes; not from ecstasy, but from the terrible realisation of what had just occurred. "I'm so sorry Anzu.. I.. I.. What the heck happened to me?!"

For a moment, the demon relinquished control of her, allowing her to experience the full horror of her situation. "Yami! It will make me kill you! Run – run while I have control. " She cried out desperately.

He was unsure if he should leave her like this, but realised that heeding her warning was his only chance to escape and save them both, so he got up and reached for his shorts. He tried to pull them on but was shaking in terror so much, that it was a struggle.

What happened next took him by surprise: Just as he reached the door, Anzu suddenly stopped crying and sprung forward. She grabbed him roughly, pulling him firmly against her. He felt a sudden sharp pain in his neck and then everything started swim and his vision became blurry. In fear and desperation, his arms flailed. He managed to grab her wrists and tried and get her to release her grip. But as a demon she was too strong and he could not pull free. As he became weaker, he realised oblivion was fast approaching. Was this it? Was death imminent?

::::::::::::

Back at the game store, Yugi was working his shift behind the counter of the shop, and was waiting for his brother to return. The twins were quite competitive and they would usually time how long it took to complete the 10 kilometre run. They even had a chart on Atem's bedroom door with their times, and while Yugi could not compete with his brother in other sports, he held the record of 37 minutes and 48 seconds. However, right now, Yugi couldn't help thinking that with everything else going on, it all seemed a pointless waste of time.

Sighing, he checked the time. Atem had now been gone for an hour, which meant he had either gone on a longer run or something had happened. Atem had not taken his phone with him, so Yugi decided to ring Mana to see if Atem had diverted to her house or had met up with her, on her run.

Mana confirmed that she had not seen or heard from Atem and that she was just leaving her house to come over. They arranged to meet at the park and search for him.

After forty minutes of looking in bushes and asking passers by and dog walkers on the various paths leading from the canal, they had drawn a blanc. Yugi even climbed down the steep bank to the waters edge, which was signposted 'Danger' and had a picture on the sign, of a stick person falling in and drowning in the water. He nearly had a heart attack when he peered into the murky water and spotted a trainer amongst the silt and other discarded rubbish. He fished it out and relaxed when he remembered that Atem was wearing blue adidas. This was an asics, and the wrong size.

Praying that they would find him safe at home, they went back to the game store. Sugoroku and their mother greeted them with worried expressions. Yugi could see his mother had been crying.

"No luck?" Sugoroku frowned when he saw their sombre expressions.

"No sign of him at all," Yugi said with a shake of his head. Dread filled his heart. Had he been kidnapped?

"I'm calling the police." His mother grabbed the phone and dialled. She was disheartened to hear that her son would not be considered missing until he had been gone for forty eight hours. "Apparently they say people do this all the time and then turn up wondering what all the fuss is about," his mother said sadly.

"But Yami's not like that!" Yugi shouted out of frustration at the police response.

"I could try to do a location spell," Mana whispered to Yugi when his mother went to put the kettle on to make some calming camomile tea, to try and relax their nerves.

"Will it work?! Do you think you will be able to find them?" Yugi was amazed, because even Mahado had been unable to perform a location spell, due to the number of electronic devices causing interference and reducing the range in which the ancient form of magic could be seen as reliable, to about a mile. Apparently, he was working on devising a new, more powerful form of spell that might be more successful in finding them, no matter where in the world they were.

"Mahado and I have been meditating, and learning how to block out all the interference! If he is within a ten mile radius I should be able to find him," she stated proudly.

Using the small pendant inlaid with a sparkling ruby gemstone, she closed her eyes and concentrated. She mumbled a strange incantation that Yugi did not understand. There was a bright light and Dark Magician Girl appeared. Mana opened her eyes and giggled, pleased with herself, but still slightly embarrassed.

Yugi gasped. "Dark Magician Girl!" This was the first time he had seen Mana's ancient counter part from the spirit world. Yugi found it hard not to admire her scantily clad figure.

"Yes, she is my guiding spirit. We must combine our heka to... Will you two stop leering at her?!" Dark Magician Girl reacted by giggling and waggling her finger at the two men – in a now now, naughty boys gesture. Yugi went bright red and looked away. When his eyes caught his grandfather's he noticed that he too was flushed.

"I wasn't! She's a Duel Monster!" Yugi tried to defend.

"Can you find Yami?!" Sugoroku asked hopefully.

Dark Magician Girl looked at him blankly. "Who's Yami?"

"Prince Atem," Mana explained. Her counterpart nodded that she would.

Using her staff, she made a swirling gesture and a fuzzy ball of mist appeared.

At that moment, Yugi's mother came into the sitting room carrying a try. "Aghh! What's?! Who's that?!" She almost dropped the tray. Yugi grabbed it from her before it slipped fully from her hands.

"It's magic Mum. Dark Magician Girl is going to help us find Yami," he assured.

Mana and her spirit monster seemed to be deep in a rare moment of concentration, proving that if something, or someone was that important to her, she could actually focus for more than a few moments!

The ball of mist became clearer and inside an image appeared, of Atem getting into a small red car. The image shimmered and changed, to reveal him sitting on a couch with a woman who's face was not clearly visible. Everyone went pale when the image shifted to the bedroom. The woman's face became clear as the naked couple on the bed were shown with her sitting astride him. "Anzu!" They all chorused in horror.

"No, no, no.." Even when Yugi balled his hands into fists they would not stop shaking. "Stop the image?!" He shouted full of hurt and anger. He wanted to throw up.

Mana let out a cry and clamped her hands over her face, while her counterpart dropped her staff causing the image to disappear. Mana broke her connection and Dark Magician Girl disappeared back to her realm. "Prince.. Why?!" Mana cried out desperately.

Yugi's mother was unable to believe what she had just seen. She knew about Yugi's break-up with with Anzu, but as far as she knew, Atem had no interest in anyone except Mana. He was also loyal towards his brother. But to now see Atem and Anzu in such a compromising position! What were they thinking? She was not sure she wanted to let him back in the house right now.

The only person who did not seem horrified and upset was Sugoroku. He was keeping a level head. "Mana!" He stated firmly. "Can you get the image back? Neither of them are acting of their own free will, we have to find them... Yami is in danger."

"No! Sorry!" Mana whimpered tearfully. She was far too emotionally distressed to do anything right now.

"Danger! What is going on?" Hana was filled with dread. She had always refused to believe that the dashing young man she had met that night could have anything to do with this so called evil threat that had hung over her family all these years.

"Hana, I am afraid the prophecy that we have fought so hard to avoid, is unfolding!" Sugoroku told her.

"Why?!" Hana cried. "This is all your fault Dad! If only you had not gone into that damn tomb and found that stupid artefact, none of this would be happening." She wagged her finger at Sugoroku. "Don't think I don't know about all those games you used to play, using dark magic and voodoo. You have brought a curse on my sons. If either of them get hurt because of this, I will never forgive you." She broke down and cried.

"Actually Mum, it's my fault! I helped release the demon!" Yugi blurted, embracing his mother. "Mum! I'm sorry." She looked up at him and smiled sadly, taking one of his hands in both of hers.

"No, sweetheart, it's no one's fault – I know that. I didn't mean what I said Dad, I'm sorry."

"It's okay Hana, a small part of me has to accept, you might be right," Suguroku admitted. "I think you should tell your mother what has happened Yugi."

"Okay Grandpa." Yugi nodded. "It all started when I went to Egypt with Ishizu. We excavated the tomb of a high priest. We did not know at the time, but it seems he was cursed. Seto Kaiba showed up and helped us lift the mummified body out. Somehow part of the demon's entity still remained and it infected Kaiba. He passed some of the demon's venom to Anzu causing her to become possessed. The demon must have found out about Yami and me! I think it has made Anzu target Yami as it sees him as the Pharaoh... Oh God! What if?" He looked at Sugoroku with a terrified look.

"It may already be too late," Sugoroku whispered.

"No! I can't believe it! He's not dead!" Mana gasped, hugging herself to stop herself from shaking. With her body unable to support her, Yugi's mother collapsed onto Yugi.

"Mum, I'm so sorry," he sobbed, hugging her. Supporting her weight, he helped her to sit.

"I don't blame you sweetheart. Just find him... please.." She looked at him with desperate, pleading eyes.

Yugi nodded and looked to Sugoroku for guidance. "Yami _has_ to be safe Grandpa! He can't be gone."

"I really don't know Yugi." Sugoroku was unable to give any reassurance. He did not know if the demon intended to kill his grandson or use him like it was using Anzu and Kaiba. "Where is your Millennium Puzzle?"

"In my room. Why?"

"You also have access to powerful magic Yugi. You have already experienced some of the power the Puzzle possesses. You may be able to use it to pinpoint Anzu and Yami's exact location." But you must have faith in your connection to the Puzzle."

"What if I'm too weak," he said sadly.

"You must believe in yourself Yugi. You know what Ishizu told you."

Yugi gasped, remembering what Ishizu had told him. _"The_ _millennium Puzzle has the power of unity, it can access any of the powers the other items possess, and only you or your brother have hearts strong enough to use that power."_

Yugi leaped up and ran to his room to get the Puzzle. It had already shown him images of where Anzu and Kaiba had been while they were in Las Vegas, but this was on a whole different level. He had to have faith for it to work. If it did, he could save his brother and Anzu at the same time – it had to work.

* * *

 **What will become of Yami? I hope that I have not left anyone feeling too disturbed!**

 **Please review.**


	27. Chapter 27

This is quite an eventful chapter! Demon Kaiba's plan starts to unfold and Yami's fate is revealed.

Warnings: A little bit of blood and gore, mentions of drugs.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh.

* * *

Broken Dreams

Chapter 27 The Eye

Although he was annoyed that Mokuba had taken his lap top, it was easy enough for Seto Kaiba to obtain another one. There was nothing on his old one that he could not access using the new one anyway because he kept all his everything that was important, encrypted in his own cloud server.

Using a mixture of his birth father's name and his mother's maiden name as an alias, he took a flight to San Francisco and checked into a luxury hotel as Hiro Takeuchi.

Settling down in his room, Seto put the television on to check the news reports. Good! There were no indications that he or Anzu were even remotely suspected of the disappearance of several hikers in the San Bernadino area. Some gruesome remains had been discovered, but due to animal predation it was impossible to determine cause of death. With the television on in the background, he fired up his new laptop and set about personalising it.

He paused and looked up when another report came on about the fortunes of Kaiba Corporation. There was growing concern as to the whereabouts of Seto Kaiba! He had last been reported as being in New York with Mokuba, but Mokuba had returned on his own and Seto Kaiba had since been avoiding all attempts to communicate with him. Reports stated that he had been spotted gambling in Las Vegas with a young woman who's identity was unknown – however, this report had not been confirmed. There was even speculation that he may have had some sort of mental breakdown! Because of these rumours, customers and investors were becoming jittery and share values were falling. His current location was currently unknown.

Something sparked inside Seto. Even as a demon he could not allow his company to fail. Maybe it was time to start paying some attention to business before anyone found out there really _was_ something wrong with him.

 _It is just as well I am in San Francisco then isn't it!_ He let out an amused chuckle.

A shave and a hair cut, along with a new suit, saw him looking like the smart businessman everyone recognised him as.

::::::::::::

For most people, Industrial Illusions HQ was not an easy building to gain access to without an appointment, but Seto Kaiba was well known to the staff. "Good morning Patricia," he said approaching the reception desk.

"Why, Mister Kaiba! We weren't expecting you! Are you here to see Mister Crawford?" She hastily checked her computer screen for the list of expected visitors for today.

"Is he in?"

"He is, but he is very busy this morning. He only returned from his visit to London last night," she hesitated. "But I'm sure he can adjust his schedule to fit you in."

"That won't be necessary Patricia. I am actually here to see whoever is in charge of implementing the new software upgrade." Holographic technology was being developed to the next level, and Seto had written the software upgrades that needed to be programmed onto the minute chip inserted into each card, to enhance the image and statistics projected onto the duelling field, making the monsters appear even larger and more imposing.

She handed Seto a visitors pass, which gave him access to the building. "I'm so glad you are well Sir, only.. the news..." Seto interrupted her.

"Yes, I am well aware what those vultures have been saying. You shouldn't believe everything you hear in the news," he growled.

Rather than attract suspicion by diverting to visit Pegasus in his office, he went straight to the programming department, where he was introduced to the project leader; a man called Gerry Baker. It seemed that they were experiencing problems with getting the information for each monster to read properly, and some images were either flickering, or not being projected at all! Because Seto had personally written the software and kept access to the code encrypted, no one else at Kaiba Corporation knew how to fix the problem, and apparently they had been trying to reach Seto about it, without success. Seto feigned ignorance at this, claiming his laptop and phone had been stolen.

After spending the day sorting it out, Seto left. Hopefully, his hands on approach to resolving the software issue would keep the vultures and those looking for a reason to damage Kaiba Corporation, away for a while.

Back at Kaiba Corporation HQ, Mokuba had received the news that his brother was visiting Industrial Illusions and was dealing with a very urgent problem. It gave him hope and a sense of relief that perhaps everything would be okay after all.

Pegasus was driven home to his luxurious house, in an expensive suburb of San Francisco, at around seven in the evening by his chauffeur. Seto had been to his home before when he had been visiting on business. Pegasus had insisted he stayed there rather than an hotel. It had struck Seto then, that like himself, Pegasus was a very insular and private individual. Aside from servants, Pegasus spent his time alone.

He also knew that Pegasus liked to go for an evening stroll around his garden at nine thirty, and would always visit the ornamental pond next to the rose bush he had planted for his deceased wife Cecilia, where he would sit and tell her about his day.

Hopping over the fence and avoiding the security cameras, he crept up to where Pegasus sat. There were no guards or security cameras in this part of the garden, Pegasus did not want his staff snooping on his private moments with Cecilia.

Casually, Seto sat down on the edge of the pond. "Hello Pegasus."

Pegasus startled. "Kaiba Boy! How did you get in without being spotted?!"

Seto shrugged. "Your security is poor. Are you wondering why I'm here?" He smirked.

Before Pegasus could make a sound or cry out, Seto lunged forward and pushed him down, placing his hand over his mouth so he couldn't cry out. "If you call for help I will kill you," he snarled dangerously. "I have already seen the Tauk around the neck of that woman Ishizu. Who has the other items?" Pegasus shook his head. His eye glinted as he tried to use it against Seto. When he saw Seto's mind he gasped. In place of the young man's own thoughts and memories, he saw the monster that had taken up residence in his soul.

Seto laughed. "Your pathetic attempt to attack me is futile. Your eye is not strong enough against me." Digging his fingers into the eye socket he picked up a pulse from Pegasus' mind. "I can read _your_ thoughts! You are weak." With one quick gouging movement he removed the Millennium Eye. Pegasus tried to scream out in horror and pain but couldn't due to the hand over his mouth. He then passed out from the shock.

Grinning, Seto wiped the eye clean on Pegasus' silk handkerchief and left with the knowledge from reading Pegasus' mind, that the scales and the Rod were both in Egypt.

::::::::::::

Drifting in and out of consciousness, Atem was struggling to focus his mind. What had she done to him? He let out a muffled groan and tried to sit up, but the room swam and he flopped back down on the bed.

He ran his hand over his chest, down to his thigh. He was naked but was covered by the sheet. He was in desperate need of a shower but all he wanted to do was find his clothes and get out of here.

"Well, well, sleeping beauty awakes." Anzu had come back into the room and was hovering over him.

"Wha..t..." His mouth felt dry and full of wool. When he tried to speak it came out as a croak. He coughed. "What..time.. is it?"

"You've been out cold for two hours. Its nearly nine thirty." She handed him a glass of water and he gulped it down.

When he sat up, his stomach lurched and his vision swam. "What did you do to me?" He rubbed his hand through his untidy hair. "I have to get home, everyone will be worried."

"Oh! You don't need to worry about those human slime any more." She tipped her head back and let out an evil laugh. "You're one of us now!"

"What did you do to me?!" He lunged at her and was horrified at himself for grabbing her by the throat rather aggressively, in an attempt to choke a confession out of her. However, he was still weak and she shoved him away easily.

"You were such fun to seduce," she smirked.

It suddenly came flooding back to him. When he tried to escape she had latched onto his neck and started drinking his blood. His life force had been ebbing away. Moments before death, she had suddenly released him and run her sharp fingernail across her chest. Blood started to leak from the wound and he had lapped it up hungrily. He retched at the thought. "Oh God! You infected me!"

"Liberated you!" She corrected. "You have greater power, greater strength than these weak humans. You can do whatever you want without remorse. You are now a creature of darkness."

"I won't give in to your evil! Never!" He leaped up to leave but he was dizzy and nauseous. His legs gave out and he fell onto the floor and started to convulse.

She knelt down and stroked her hand appreciatively along his thigh, over his bare buttocks, his back and then across his shoulder. She grabbed his chin and roughly tilted his face so that he was looking at her. "You are a fine specimen... for a human."

"Get away from me you monster! What have you done with Anzu?!" His eyes were wild and frightened and he lashed out her with his fist.

"I _am_ Anzu! That pitiful girl is still in here, somewhere.. but she does as I please," the demon Anzu smirked evilly and kissed him. His response was to snarl into the kiss. Laughing at him, she stood up. "Your body is trying to reject the possession." She left the room for a few minutes before returning with a mug. "Drink this, it will make you feel better."

He snatched it and took a gulp. "Ugh! Blood!" He glared at her in horror, but something inside him urged him to drink it so he did.

Feeling better, he stood up. "I have to go." He frantically searched around for his clothes. Finding them, he pulled on his vest, shorts and fumbled frantically with his socks and trainers.

"Don't be stupid! You can't go out dressed like that at this time of night, it's cold and dark. You need to rest and let your body adjust."

"I'm okay." The demon still only had partial control over him. His soul was powerful and putting up strong resistance.

She tried to protest by barring his way, but he snarled and bore his fangs at her. His hand instinctively went to his mouth and he gasped when he felt sharp incisors. Shocked by what had happened, he pushed her aside and hurriedly left.

It was dark and cold when he ran out onto the street. The smell of deep fried food laced with cigarette smoke and alcohol greeted him. High tempo dance music boomed from a nearby bar. He was now far more sensitive to the sounds and odours around him.

A scantily clad woman brushed up against him. "Hi, handsome, looking for a good time?" She purred. He could sense the beating of her heart as it pumped blood, spiked with heroin, through her veins – he could smell the drug seeping through her pores. He wanted to bite her and drink her contaminated blood so that he could feel the rush. It was unnerving and he needed to get away from her.

Glaring at her, he frowned and shook his head. "I have to get out of here." Turning away from her, he ran.

In his haste to get away, he did not notice that he had run into the road. There was a screech of brakes and a loud thud as he ran straight into an oncoming taxi and bounced over the bonnet, landing in the road on the other side of the car.

People were screaming, shouting, surrounding him, making him feel claustrophobic. Someone was touching him in a way that suggested they were checking for injuries. "Get away from me!" He yelled, pushing them away. He was shocked at the new found strength he had. It didn't occur to him that this new found strength had protected him from serious injury. His bones and muscles were stronger, his skin was tougher.

His hearing picked up the taxi driver's panic. "I didn't see him! He came out of nowhere!"

To the astonishment of everyone, he leaped to his feet, jumped over them and ran. He did not stop until he got to Domino Park. Everything hurt. Slumping down on a bench, he put his head in his hands and sobbed.

What did he do now? He could not go home in this condition!

::::::::::::

After several failed attempts, Yugi was getting tired, irritable and frustrated. "It's no good! I'm useless at this," he complained, letting the Puzzle fall onto his chest.

"You must not give up Yugi," Sugoroku told him.

"How can I concentrate when all I keep seeing is that horrible..." He cut his sentence short and sighed. Clasping the Puzzle in his hands, he looked into the Eye of Horus and tried again.

"Focus on your brother," Sugoroku urged.

For the umpteenth time Yugi tried to picture his brother in his running kit. Each time he had tried, he kept seeing that seeing that horrible vision of Yami and Anzu together, causing him to lose concentration. This time however, he persevered, despite the disturbing image.

The eye suddenly started to glow, and shone onto Yugi's forehead, causing his mother to squeal when the eye bubbled up from under his skin.

His own eyes were closed but through his third eye he could see his brother running, eyes full of panic and fear. He then saw his brother in the darkness surrounded by trees and bushes, sitting on a bench with his head in his hands. Yugi recognised the swings and slide in the background. "Domino Park! He's in Domino Park!"

"Stay here," Sugoroku ordered the two women. Mana went to protest. "I said stay here." His order was assertive. "Yugi and I will handle it."

Yugi nodded. Sugoroku picked up the ankh. If Yami was under the influence of the demon, they would need to be cautious.

Yugi was in a hurry and soon left his grandfather behind. "Yugi! Slow down? I'm an old man remember." Yugi ignored him. He had to get there before Yami decided to leave.

Spotting his brother on the bench, he stopped a short distance away and stayed in the shadows where he could not be spotted. The last thing he wanted was for his brother to spot him, and to either panic and run, or attack him.

He decided it would be safer to wait for his grandfather to catch up.

After only a second or two of him waiting, Yami's head shot up. Had he sensed him or heard him?

Footsteps! Atem could hear footsteps and heavy breathing from someone who had been running. But they had stopped now. He could not smell them since they were downwind of him, but he knew someone was there. Frowning, he concentrated – yes, there was definitely someone there. He slowly stood up and was just about to run when someone called out.

"Yami?! Don't run!" Yugi forgot about waiting for his grandfather and ran over to his brother. Unsure what to do, Atem turned away. "Don't come near me Yugi!" His voice was trembling.

"Yami! What's wrong? What happened to you?" Despite knowing what Yami had done, Yugi still felt compassion towards his brother, who appeared to be deeply traumatised.

Ignoring his brother's request to keep away, Yugi moved closer and could see Atem's shoulder and upper arm was bruised and scraped, so was his right thigh. His shorts and vest were scuffed, grimy and torn where he had been thrown over the car and had rolled into the road.

Wheezing and out of breath, Sugoroku arrived. As he struggled to get his breath back, he watched, eyeing Yami's body language with caution. He was unable to tell if his grandson was possessed or just injured.

Yugi placed a hand on Atem's undamaged shoulder. "It's okay Yami. I know what happened and yeah, I'm upset and angry, but I'm not blaming you. We need to get you home."

Knowing how hurt Yugi was over the vision of Yami with Anzu, Sugoroku felt proud of him for handling the situation so calmly. However, Yami did not seem to hear what Yugi was saying and just stood there trembling.

"Come on Yami?! You have to come home so we can help you." Yugi almost gasped loudly when he spotted the bite mark on his neck, but managed to stop himself.

Sugoroku noticed that Yami was shivering very badly and gestured to Yugi to take off his hoodie and wrap it around him. Yugi did so, carefully placing it on his brother. Atem just stood there like a statue and let him slip his arms into it and then do up the zip.

Yugi had managed to get a good look at his brother's face. "Yami! What happened to you? You look like you've been hit by a bus!" He frowned at the bruise on the side of his face where his head had hit the road.

"I got run over by a taxi," Atem mumbled, allowing Yugi and his grandfather to gently guide him in the direction of the game store. He did not want to hurt his family and was not sure if it was a good idea to go with them, but he felt beaten up and in need of a hot bath and some sleep. Inside he could feel the demon clawing at his soul, nagging at him to give up control, but he would fight that bastard all the way. He was not going to give in.

"You are lucky you're not in the hospital my boy!" He heard Sugoroku say, but chose not to reply.

When they arrived home, Mana and his mother rushed to greet them, relief evident in their expressions. Mana was about to throw her arms around Atem, but when she saw how pained he looked, she hugged him more gently. She was hurt and angry by what she had seen in the location spell, but right now she was just happy he was alive and safe. He winced when she hugged him.

"Prince! You're hurt!" She stepped back.

"I'm fine. Just tired and sore."

"He got hit by a car, he's a bit scraped up," Yugi explained.

"I will run you a nice bath with some lavender and tea tree oil to soothe your injuries," his mother offered. He smiled weakly at her in return.

"Thanks Mum."

The bath was deep, hot and soothing but he doubted it would ever wash away the guilt of the sin he had just committed.

"What do you think Grandpa?" Yugi asked. "Is Yami possessed?"

"It's difficult to tell," Sugoroku replied honestly, "he seems more traumatised than possessed. His eyes were clear. To be honest I don't know! When he was not looking I tried to use the Ankh to see if the demon was inside him, but it did not show me anything. I still think we should be cautious around him though. We should keep watch on him for the rest of the night." Hana heard the two men whispering and it upset her.

"Don't be ridiculous! How can you talk like that about your own grandson. He could have been dead or seriously injured, and all you can say is be cautious of him!"

"It's not like that Mum, Yami might have survived being hit by a car because he is infected with demon poison," Yugi tried to explain.

"Well then, we should be looking at how we extract this demon poison, not locking him in his room!" She argued.

"I can't get rid of a demon I can't detect!" Sugoroku tried to argue.

"Maybe I should call Mahado. He will know what to do," Mana said, reaching for her phone.

Wanting to find a solution to this mess himself, Sugoroku stopped her.

"No! I would like to talk to Yami first. If Yami is possessed – and we don't know that he is for certain, Yugi and myself can deal with him. Once he tells us where to find Anzu, I will inform Mahado so that he and Ishizu can deal with her."

"But Grandpa! We don't have time! I have to find Anzu now!"

"No, Yugi! Your brother needs you here. We have to ensure Yami is okay before we go looking for Anzu, and waiting a few more hours to find her will not hurt." Yugi wanted to argue with his grandfather but deep down he knew he was right.

"Okay Grandpa," Yugi sighed and rubbed his hand over his face. "But I do think we should ring Mahado now to explain what is going on. They need to be ready to face Anzu's demon." Yugi did not wish to override his grandfather's decisions but he felt quite strongly that Mahado should be informed right away, so that he could be prepared to act immediately they knew Anzu's location.

"Are you questioning my judgement Yugi?" Sugoroku sighed, "Maybe I am getting too old for all this. It is time I took a back seat and let you take charge," he conceded. Yugi gently gripped his grandfather's arm.

"No, Grandpa! It's late, we're all tired and emotional. We should make the decisions together. I still need you to guide me on this, okay?!" Yugi did not want him to feel old and useless.

"Thank you for humouring an old man Yugi," Suroroku smiled and patted Yugi's hand reassuringly

While they were talking, Mana rang her brother.

Mahado was extremely worried by this turn of events and asked to talk to Yugi or Sugoroku. The elder man gestured to Yugi to deal with it.

"You say that he seems to be okay apart from a little bit bruised? It may be that the demon fed from him but he managed to escape. Where is he now?" Mahado asked.

"He was cold and in a bad way when I found him. He is taking a hot bath and Mum is preparing him some chicken broth. Hopefully, he will recover without needing hospital treatment."

"Okay, well watch him closely. I would suggest you keep the doors locked in case he tries to flee. If he tries anything, do not hesitate to use your Millennium items on him. As soon as he tells you where Anzu is, let me know and Ishizu and I will deal with her. In the meantime, we will prepare the necessary ritual to rid her of the demon... And rid Atem of his demon too, if need be-" There was a moments silence as Yugi processed the implications of the ritual.

"Mahado?! Please promise me... Anzu will be okay, won't she?"

"Yes Yugi, you have my word. I will do everything in my power to ensure that she is unharmed. And Yugi? Look after Mana for me."

"I will. Thank you Mahado. I will let you know as soon as we are able to talk to Yami properly."

The two men hung up.

::::::::::::

Yami gently dabbed himself dry and went to put some antiseptic ointment on the scratches on his back and the scrape on his thigh and shoulder. Weird, he could have sworn that they were healing at twice the rate they normally would. He pulled on his pyjamas and dressing gown, and shuffled downstairs to the kitchen where everyone was waiting. He knew he had some explaining to do but didn't know if he could tell them the truth.

"Where did you go sweetheart? And what on earth happened to you?!" His mother asked, guiding him to a seat at the dining table. When he sat down she stroked his hair and kissed his head; just as she had done when he was a little boy in need of his mother after falling off his bicycle. He felt comforted by her actions and did not stop her.

Sugoroku placed a big bowl of the chicken soup in front of him, while Hana continued to mother him.

"It's hot sweetheart, so don't burn your mouth."

"Thank you Mum." He smiled at her weakly and sipped at a spoonful of the delicious broth.

"What happened Yami?" Yugi could not wait another moment to find out where Anzu was, but he did not want to rush in accusingly.

"I helped a young woman change her car tyre. She drugged me and tried to kidnap me but I escaped. I was in a panic and ran in front of a car. Somehow, I wasn't badly injured." He had no idea why he was lying so easily. He was usually such a hopeless liar.

Yugi frowned. Listening to his brother lie was killing his compassion and he was starting to feel angry. "That's not what happened Yami and you know it! Mana did a spell to locate you and we saw you with Anzu." There was total silence and everyone fidgeted nervously.

"O..." Atem swallowed nervously. "I didn't want to Yugi, I promise! She used some kind of spell to control me. I tried to fight it, but she was too strong." He could not bring himself to look at Yugi or Mana. "I'm sorry," he whispered tearfully.

Yugi felt his bottom lip tremble. The sight of his usually strong, proud brother and role model looking so pitiful, hurt him more than the terrible image he had seen of his brother _with_ Anzu.

"It's okay Yami. Yes, I am upset and angry, but I don't blame you or Anzu. I know it's the demon doing this. So if you can remember anything, please tell me... Do you know where Anzu is?" Yugi gently touched his brother's wrist in a pleading gesture.

"I'm not sure! I can't... I don't remember." He was trying really hard but something was blocking his memories.

"Try harder Yami, you have to tell us so we can help Anzu escape this demon's control," Sugoroku demanded more assertively.

Yami rubbed at his temples, forcing himself to think. "A red car! Anzu asked me for help to fix a flat tyre. Somehow, I don't know how she did it, but she got into my head... I couldn't fight it. My mind's a blank." He forced himself to think and suddenly a small spark ignited. "It was in the red light district! There was a building – apartment building!" His mind went blank again and he hesitated. "That's all I can remember until the car hit me. Sorry, I'm tired, I need to sleep." He put his spoon down and shoved his chair back to shakily stand.

"Yami! Please? You have to try harder! We need an address," Yugi pleaded impatiently. Sugoroku intervened.

"That's good for now Yami. Maybe we can try again in a little while. We have made up the futon in the sitting room for you to sleep on. It is easier for us to take it in turns to look after you that way. We will talk again after you have rested."

"You mean watch me to make sure I am not a demon! It's okay I understand." He shuffled to the sitting room and was asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.

After ensuring his grandson was sleeping comfortably, Sugoroku took Yugi to one side and spoke quietly. "We must give him time."

"But we don't have time! I can't just sit here and wait for him to tell us!" Yugi got up and grabbed his coat. "I'm going to the red light district to look for Anzu. We don't have time for him to remember... if he even does remember!"

"No!" Sugoroku stopped him. "We are all tired and you are too emotional at the moment. That is how mistakes are made. If we go to the red light district and start asking questions, she may be alerted and run. Atem might remember more in the morning. Hopefully he can lead us right to her door."

Reluctantly, Yugi put his coat back on the hook. Grandpa was right, going after her on his own was not a good idea.

"Mana and I will take first watch on Yami. I suggest you and your mother get some sleep and we will wake you up at three to take over."

"Okay. But if anything happens with Yami, wake me up immediately." Yugi went upstairs to his room and got ready for bed. He curled up under his duvet and cuddled the soft toy rabbit that Anzu had left for him to remember her by when she went to New York. Mister Cuddles was her favourite cuddly growing up and it had her scent on it, so he always found it comforting.

Mana wrapped herself in a comforter and knelt down beside Yami. By the sound of his soft snoring, he appeared to be sleeping soundly. She smiled sadly; he looked so innocent when he was asleep. Even though she knew that he had been manipulated, she was still upset and hurt by this evening's events. The last thing she felt like doing right now was climbing into bed with him and cuddling up to him like they usually did.

"Why don't you go and get some sleep Mana," Sugoroku suggested. "I can keep an eye on Yami. I will call you if he wakes up."

"No! I will stay here." She snuggled down in an armchair.

::::::::::::

Sleep turned out to be anything but peaceful for Atem. After sleeping very heavily for the first hour, he soon started to be plagued with nightmares:

 _There was sand all around him. Not bright golden brown sand, but dark oily looking sand. The sky too, was a dark purplish black._

 _Sinister creatures with ogre like bodies were stalking the land, killing any living thing they found and turning the souls from the bodies, into shadows._

 _He seemed to be watching the macabre scene as a third person, but somehow was also participating in a battle between two individuals that were facing each other._

 _One was a young man, looking just like him and wearing attire that suggested he was a King. A golden crown with the eye of Horus in the centre, sat proudly above his forehead, with golden wings that extended upwards and blended with his wild tri colour hair. His fine robes were dirty, torn and stained with blood._

 _The young Pharaoh was on his knees, slumped over in pain. He could feel the same pain his counter part was experiencing. He could taste blood in his throat from the internal injuries, along with the stinging throb from the numerous cuts and bruises on his body._

 _The Pharaoh was facing a demonic looking creature that had two bodies fused together on one pair of legs. One was a lizard while the other a more upright being that could talk. It was huge and ugly._

 _He could feel the young man's pain and desperation. All seemed lost. And yet... there was still hope in his heart._

 _Atem also felt himself experiencing the situation from the demon's point of view. He could feel its evil, its desire to crush the young Pharaoh and enslave the human race to its will._

 _It stood mockingly over him as it prepared to extinguish his life. "No! No!" Atem could feel himself screaming._

 _Just as it aimed its fireball at him, the young Pharaoh pushed himself to his feet. It was a painful effort but he was proud and would not die cowering before this abomination._

 _The young Pharaoh started muttering something in an ancient tongue that Atem had never heard before, but found himself chanting as though it was second nature. The Pharaoh held the Millennium Puzzle out and a bright light burst from it, intercepting the demon's fireball and aiming it right back at the demon. The demon screamed as it was engulfed in flame. Atem felt his own body burning, while at the same time, he could feel the Pharaoh's soul being torn from his body and sucked into the eye of the pendant - payment in soul._

 _A black void opened up and the burning demon was sucked into it. The void closed and the demon was gone. Slowly the darkness cleared and the desert became bright once more._

 _Lying face down in the sand was the lifeless body of the Pharaoh._

Gasping, Atem sat bolt upright. He was in a cold sweat and shaking slightly. He could feel his eyes stinging, so he wiped his hand across his face and found it was wet with his tears. The Pharaoh in his dream was his father! He had just witnessed the moment his father first destroyed Zorc! Did this mean his father's soul was somehow still linked to the Millennium Puzzle?

He glanced at his grandfather and at Mana – they were both fast asleep in their chairs. The clock on the mantle was showing three thirty in the morning.

His stomach suddenly lurched. Oh God! He was going to be sick.

* * *

 **Not good! They have lost Yami and now have three demons on the loose!**

 **Please review.**


	28. Chapter 28

Warnings for this chapter: Fighting between brothers, some blood and maybe some slightly suggestive content.

Usual disclaimer: do not own Yugioh.

* * *

Broken Dreams

Chapter 28. Night Vigil.

After speaking to Yugi, Mahado began the necessary preparations to rid Anzu of her demon. It would not be easy to remove a creature that Ishizu was certain, was a part of Zorc. It would require a great deal of concentration and he would need to channel his most powerful heka carefully if he wanted to avoid harming Anzu's own soul. But if he was successful in his bid to save Anzu, it would give him some hope that Seto Kaiba might also be saved.

Carrying two cups of peppermint tea, Ishizu quietly entered the room in which he had been meditating for an hour and a half. She had just received a telephone call with some rather shocking news, and was not sure if it was wise to tell him when he was preparing a powerful spell.

Upon hearing her enter the room, he opened his eyes. "Ah, perfect. I was just thinking it would be nice if you could bring me some peppermint tea," he winked.

"I should join with you in meditation." She sat down opposite him, placing the two china cups between them.

"Some chocolate biscuits would be nice," he teased, and then noticed a rather tense look about her. He had known her long enough to know that something was wrong. "Another vision?"

"Not a vision, a telephone call. I was unsure if I should tell you when your are preparing a ritual spell," she took a deep breath and huffed it back out quickly. "I just received some rather shocking news of Pegasus. Seto Kaiba assaulted him in his garden yesterday evening, and stole the Eye."

"Is Pegasus alright?"

"Yes, but very shaken," she frowned, "Pegasus was well enough to talk to me and says that he saw the demon inside Seto moments before his eye was taken. He also says that the demon probed his mind when it touched the Eye. I must warn Shadi and my brothers."

"That means he must be collecting the items to perform some sort of ritual to open the Shadow Resurrect Zorc in his full form. It is logical to assume that he will come after our items at some point. We must make haste in freeing Anzu from the demon's grip. We must also ensure that Yami is well. What time is it now?" Mahado had lost track of time while meditating.

"A little after one in the morning. I just hope we can warn my brothers and Shadi in time." She pulled out her phone and started to dial. It was Rishid who answered. He was busy preparing the evening meal and confirmed that the Rod was safe, and that she should not worry about them facing Kaiba; they would be prepared. As he spoke, he glanced over to where Marik was sitting using the dagger part of the rod to peel and slice an apple – best not to tell Ishizu about that!

"Hello sister!" Marik called out, grinning cheekily and popping a slice of apple into his mouth. Ishizu smiled at hearing her younger brother's voice in the background. She knew he could protect himself with the Rod, but it worried her that Seto might already be too powerful for one person to deal with, alone. "Seto is already on his way to Egypt so we don't have much time. Marik and Shadi must find somewhere safe to stay until we can get them on a flight to Japan. Hopefully, we can outwit Seto's demon by luring him into battle on our terms – he will have no chance against six of the items."

"I will book our flights right away my sister. Have you spoken to Shadi yet?"

"Not yet. I will call him as soon as we have finished talking. Take great care... And please, look after Marik for me."

"I will, you have my word Ishizu." Rishid hung up.

"What did Ishizu want Rishid?" Marik enquired cautiously.

"We are in danger." He plucked the dagger from Marik's hand and carefully cleaned it, before slotting it back into it's sheath. As he did so, he explained their situation.

Marik's response was a string of expletives.

::::::::::::

Mana had always been a light sleeper, and woke with a start when she heard Atem cry out. Leaping out of her chair, she was horrified to find him heaving into the waste paper basket. "Euww..." She couldn't help wrinkling her nose up in disgust.

"Mana," he groaned. "Sorry, I..." He had finished being sick and now didn't know what to do with the waste bin.

Having also heard the commotion, Hana came rushing into the room. She had not long woken up and was wondering why her father had not come to get her and Yugi to take their turn watching Yami. "Let me deal with that." She was not at all squeamish about it. Having brought up two boys she had dealt with numerous tummy bugs and runny noses.

"Thank you." Atem smiled weakly as she took the bin away. He got up and staggered to the bathroom to splash some water on his face. Mana followed him.

"What's wrong Prince?" She thought that perhaps she should go and wake Sugoroku, who was fast asleep on the sofa, snoring very loudly. How he didn't wake himself up with the noise he made, she could not fathom. Maybe it was because his hearing was not very good these days! Yugi's room was another floor up so she doubted he could hear much either if he was sleeping. "Do you want me to wake Yugi or your Grandpa?"

He shook his head. "No! Let them sleep. It was just a bad dream. You should go to bed and get some sleep." His demeanour was not overly friendly which made her feel shunned.

 _Maybe he is just embarrassed about me seeing him like this?_ She justified to herself. "As long as you are okay?"

"I'm fine Mana, just go back to bed and leave me. I want to be alone right now!" It was said harshly and he felt bad when Mana flinched. "Sorry Mana. I'm just not feeling that great right now." He turned and shuffled back to his futon and curled up in the foetal position leaving her standing in the hallway. Mana was worried, she had never seen him act like this before. His posture was slouched and his face looked drained and weary.

A rather sleepy Yugi, staggered down the stairs leading from his room. He scratched his head and yawned, "Did I hear something? What time is it?!" Wasn't he supposed to be taking over Yami watch at three?

"It's just past four," Mana informed him.

"What?! Why didn't you wake me up?"

"Because we fell asleep ourselves. Yami woke me up!"

Having washed out the bin, his mother returned. "Is Yami okay?" She enquired.

"He's gone back to bed," Mana informed her.

"What happened? Is something wrong with Yami?" Yugi asked.

"I think he had a nightmare or something. He woke up and was sick," Mana replied.

Yugi frowned. "Okay. Why don't you and get some sleep Mana, I will keep an eye on Yami until morning."

"No. I'm not leaving him alone like this, and I don't think I can sleep now anyway."

"I will make a pot of tea," Hana decided.

When he entered the sitting room, Yugi tutted at the sight of his grandfather, still snoring obliviously.

Yami rolled over to look at Yugi and then sat up with his knees hugged into his chest. Something was clearly not right and he was rocking his body back and forth as though he were deeply troubled by something. It was a harrowing sight and definitely not the usually confident, proud young man that they all admired so much.

Yugi sat down carefully on the edge of the futon and Atem glanced up at him with a rather defensive look. "What did the demon do to you Yami? Are you infected with its venom?"

"In my head, it's in my head," he mumbled, banging his head with the palm of his hand. "I have to fight it." His face became pained. "I saw it in my dream; felt it. I saw the Pharaoh as if he was myself. Where's the puzzle? I need the puzzle.." He was mumbling incoherently and Yugi didn't understand.

"The Puzzle is in my room. I should wake Grandpa! Or... call Ishizu and Mahado, they will know what to do. I will get the Puzzle in a minute. Maybe it can help get rid of the demon in your head Yami. You just need to hold out a bit longer, okay?!" He reached out and rubbed the back of Atem's shoulder in an attempt to comfort him.

"I don't think I can keep fighting it much longer Yugi." He flinched when Yugi touched him, and his eyes flashed with a hint of crimson. "You have to keep me locked up, I'm afraid I will hurt you. You must wear the puzzle around me. He will protect you." He seldom cried, but Yugi could see his eyes welling up with tears.

"Who will Yami? You're not making any sense." Yugi resisted the urge to shake him. "You will be okay Yami, I promise."

Atem's eyes suddenly turned to a deep crimson and for the first time in his life Yugi was frightened of his brother.

Before Yugi had chance to move, Atem grabbed his upper arms in a vice like grip. Yugi tried to pull away but the grip was too strong. "Yami! You're hurting me! Let go?!"

Yugi was shocked when Yami's face developed a purplish grey hue and he sneered, revealing sharp looking fangs. Mana and their mother were standing nearby, unsure what to do.

When she saw her son's face, Hana suddenly screamed, prompting Mana to let out a small squeal too.

Atem felt the desire for blood rising inside him – the demon needed it. "No! I don't want to..." he cried out, but could not stop himself. He lunged at Yugi, pinning him to the futon. Yugi squirmed and fought, trying to push his brother away but he was too strong. Yugi felt Atem's breath ghost over his skin as his mouth touched his neck, fangs almost piercing his skin as Atem attempted to bite into his jugular.

Yugi! Yami, No!" Hana screamed at her sons.

Thinking quickly, Mana tried grabbing Yami's arm in an attempt to pull him away from Yugi. He lifted his head, snarling viciously at her. Shrugging her off with some force, he sent her flying backwards into Hana, causing both women to fall onto the floor.

This momentary loss of concentration gave Yugi an opportunity to fight him off. Levering his knees up he pushed his feet into Atem's stomach and shoved him hard. Atem flew back, slamming into the wall.

However, he barely felt the impact, and with lightening reflexes, he sprung forward at Yugi again, grabbing him roughly by the collar of his pyjama top. Yugi grappled with him in an attempt to fight back, but found his brother's strength inhuman.

Frustrated that Yugi was fighting so hard, Atem, angrily threw him towards where Mana and his mother were cowering by the book case.

As Yugi landed on them, his head hit the corner of the book case causing him to see stars. Feeling a bit dazed, he put his hand to his scalp and felt the sticky blood oozing from a small wound.

Atem stood there snarling and glaring at them. Inside he was fighting for control but losing the battle. He slowly ran his tongue over his lips and grinned. Mana's blood would taste so sweet, so delicious. He reached forward and dragged her to her feet, pressing her body against his. She flinched when he ran his hand over her lower abdomen and began caressing the soft skin of her exposed shoulder.

"P.. Prince! Stop... p.. please, you're freaking me out!" She tried to plead.

Sugoroku had taken his hearing aid out earlier, because it was whistling. He was in a deep sleep when he was woken by the noise. Luckily, Even without a hearing aid, Hana's screaming and a loud crash was enough to wake him. _What the heck is going on?_ Being old and decrepit was frustrating, he could no longer jump up and leap into action. If he got up too quickly he would become dizzy and his sciatica would be too unbearable for him to even move. As it was, he still tried to get up too quickly. A sharp twinge in his back meant that he had to hold on to the arm of the sofa for a few minutes to recover.

Grimacing through the discomfort, he reached inside his dressing gown and pulled out the ankh.

Slowly straightening up, he was horrified to see Yugi sitting on the floor with his head bleeding and his mother clinging too him screaming. Atem was holding a terrified Mana in a tight grip and was biting her neck. Instincts took over and he forgot about his age as he charged at Atem and grabbed his hair, pulling his head away from Mana's neck. Atem hissed at him furiously for being disturbed from his meal.

Sugoroku acted quickly and pushed the ankh in his face. "Get back beast!" He started chanting something in ancient Egyptian.

The spell made Atem recoil and he let go of Mana. She whimpered and clasped her hand to her neck, shrinking away from her deranged boyfriend.

Despite his head wound, Yugi got up and grabbed her in a comforting hug to keep her safe. Her legs buckled and he could feel her sag against him, sobbing into his shoulder.

Atem backed up, away from Sugoroku, who was holding the ankh and still chanting. Atem appeared to be unsure about it. Sugoroku changed from the spell he was chanting to repel the demon, and started muttering an exorcism spell, but before he could get very far, Atem folded his arms and smirked.

"Do you think that pathetic little spell will work on me? You're too slow old man." He lunged, grabbed the ankh and sprinted for the window. Grabbing an office chair from in front of the computer desk, he smashed the window before diving out through the hole it left.

His mother screamed for her son. "No! Yami!" They were on the floor directly above the shop and she feared the worst.

"Oh crap!" Yugi gasped.

"Stay here!" Sugoroku ordered.

"Mum will look after you Mana. I have to check on Yami." Yugi was shaking with fear as he gently lowered Mana onto the sofa and went with his grandfather. He feared the sight that might greet him when he got to where his brother had fallen.

With Hana supporting Mana, the two women tentatively followed the two men outside but there was no sign of Atem - he was gone.

"What if he is badly hurt?" Hana gasped when she saw some drops of blood, where the jagged edge of the window had gashed him when he dove through the opening. She looked up at the broken window. "How could he survive such a fall?"

"His demon strength probably protected him Mum," Yugi told her. "You saw how quickly those injuries from last night faded."

Sugoroku cursed under his breath. "Damn it, I should have looked after Yami better. I failed to protect him and now we have another demon on the loose. And we have also lost the ankh."

"Never mind the Ankh Dad! Yami is injured and he almost killed Mana!" Hana's voice was full of anguish as she shouted at her father.

"I know, this is all my fault. I should not have fallen asleep... I'm sorry. Are you okay Mana?" Mana nodded weakly and tearfully in response.

"Don't blame yourself Grandpa! We should have treated him as if he was possessed right from the start, rather than trying to pretend he was just in shock!" Yugi said.

"You're right Yugi. This leaves us in a terrible situation. You two go and get your wounds treated while I clean up this mess. We will work out our next move when Mahado gets here." Sugoroku cursed under his breath hoping they would not hear.

::::::::::::

Panicked, Yami ran; ignoring the strange looks from the early morning commuters on their way to work. The sight of a barefoot young man in just his pyjamas and with his sleeve soaked in blood frightened them but they did not wish to get involved and chose to continue with their own routines.

Yami stopped when he reached the apartment block where Anzu lived. He hammered on the buzzer to her apartment.

"Hello! Who is it?" She answered.

"It's me, Yami... Please, you have to let me in." The door release buzzed and he staggered inside and up the stairs to her door.

She looked out to make sure no one was with him and pulled him in. "I told you to stay with me, now look at you! What the hell happened?" He held up the ankh.

"I got this though," he smirked.

She started cooing with happiness. "Ooh! Seto will be pleased. Come on, lets clean you up and you can tell me all about it."

He explained, that after he ran out of the apartment he had been hit by a car. Dazed and confused, he ended up in the park, where somehow, Yugi had found him. He had gone home with him, tried to sleep but ended up having a fight with Yugi and then biting Mana. When Grandpa had come at him with the ankh he snatched it and left via the first floor window!

"I can't understand why I don't seem to be badly injured! What's happening to me?" He looked at her, pleading for an answer.

"You have been given new powers. You are stronger now and injuries will heal quickly." She sat him down and removed the blood soaked top. The cut to his arm was deep and had bled profusely because he had been running. "It might look bad, but it will heal within hours and won't even leave a scar!" She cleaned it up and put a bandage on it to keep it protected.

"I feel weird, I keep craving blood. Am I some sort of vampire now?"

"No, you are pure demon. Our souls have been replaced by part Master Zorc himself! Now you should rest, you lost a lot of blood which you need to replace if you are to heal quickly." She went to the fridge and pulled out a bag of blood.

Part of him still felt repulsed by the thick red liquid, but unable to stop his craving he took it anyway and gulped it down. "If we are not vampires, why do we drink blood?"

"While the host body requires food and water, we are different and need to nourish ourselves by consuming the rich, life giving essence that flows through the humans veins." She smacked her lips at the thought.

"That's gross! Where did you get this?" He felt repulsed by his own desire to find a real life victim to drink from.

"I got this from the local blood bank. It's not ideal as the Shadow Realm requires _more_ souls, but it's not easy to get away with too many kills here."

"Won't they notice it's missing?"

She shrugged. "The delivery driver was keen to earn a little extra cash. It's not my concern if they miss it or not!"

"What do we do now?" He sounded sad. The thought of being a demon was confusing, and it terrified him.

She looked at him strangely. "We can do anything we like! Seto will be so pleased when he finds out you retrieved the ankh. We need all seven items for Seto to perform the ritual and be reborn as the new Zorc."

"Zorc!" He shook his head. "But why? He will destroy the world!"

A demented glint sparkled in her dark navy eyes. "But don't you see? It will be beautiful. Humans are an infestation. They are weak and morally corrupt. From their evil hearts demons like us were born, so that we may feast on them and devour their souls, turning them to shadows. And as Zorc's children we will stand by his side as rulers of darkness."

He stood up angrily. "Are you mad?! I might have this demon poison inside me but I don't want the world destroyed! I love this world! I love my career as a professional footballer. I want to have fun with my friends, get married and have kids, see them grow up and... I don't want it all to end!"

"Why are you are fighting it? Give in and all those silly sentimental feelings will go away."

"I don't want them to go away," he snarled, eyes flashing crimson for a moment.

She smirked when his eyes changed colour. "That's more like it Yami, now you're embracing it." She moved towards him, draped her arms over his shoulders and started kissing him.

He gripped her arms and pushed her away. "Don't you have any humanity left in you? What about Yugi? You were in love with him! Are you really that happy to be throwing away your life with him? And what about your dream of being a dancer? Does it no longer mean anything to you?!"

For a moment her darkened eyes returned to their normal clear blue and a sad look flickered in them. "Yugi," she breathed slowly. In a moment the darkened gaze was back. "I no longer need him," she growled. "I want you." Lust took over from the sadness and she started kissing him again. With the demon desires burning inside him, he was unable to resist her advances.

::::::::::::

By four thirty in the morning, Mahado was now ready to face Anzu and rid her of the demon. The existing ritual was known to leave the possessed person with lasting damage to their soul, Mahado had devised a variation on the ritual that he hoped would not leave Anzu permanently weary, vague and forgetful, or worse, vegetative.

There was no time to waste and by four forty he and Ishizu were on their way to the Mutou home. Having already taken unscheduled leave, neither could take any more time off work and both needed to be at the university at nine.

They hoped that Yami was well and had been able to give details of Anzu's whereabouts.

"I don't really wish to involve Yugi," Mahado said, as they drove to the game shop, "but if this demon inside Anzu is too strong, we might need both Sugoroku's Ankh and the Millennium Puzzle."

"Yugi is stronger than you think! I believe we can rely on him to help us," Ishizu hoped.

"I am not expecting Anzu to greet us with welcome arms. Things are likely to get ugly, making the ritual far more dangerous. Can he handle that?!"

"Let us pray it does not get ugly then," Ishizu smiled weakly. On the two occasions she had met Anzu, Ishizu had liked the young woman's lively, outgoing nature and was unsure if she could deal with the worst case scenario herself, let along console Yugi, should Anzu's soul be burned or swallowed by the Shadow Realm, along with the demon's.

A sense of foreboding hit them as they pulled up outside the game store and spotted Sugoroku sweeping up broken glass. Looking up they noticed the broken window. Ishizu hurriedly got out of the car and ran over to Sugoroku.

"What has happened here?!"

"Ah, well.. I'm afraid we have a rather worrying development..." Sugoroku was looking every bit his seventy seventy five years.

"Is everyone safe?"

"Yes, but I'm afraid Yami has gone," he said shakily. "I have to clear up this mess before someone cuts themselves on this glass." He continued sweeping.

"It can wait!" Mahado snapped, a little too assertively. "I need to know what has happened."

"Yes," Ishizu placed her hand on Sugoroku's arm. "Most of the mess is cleared up. Why not finish it later, only we need to move quickly if we are too rescue Yami and Anzu," she said more softly. It was clear that the old an was upset about whatever had happened to his grandson, and was now obsessing over clearing up the broken glass.

"Yes, you're right." He propped his broom against the shop door and painfully straightened his back, showing them inside. "I'm afraid Yugi and Mana were slightly hurt in the fight, but they are fine and recovering upstairs. Unfortunately, Yami took the Ankh when he left, via that window."

"You must be losing your touch Sugoroku! Your own grandson and you couldn't protect him. I told you to keep him locked up!" Mahado said tersely.

When he saw Yugi sitting holding an ice pack to his head, along with Mana, who had gauze taped to her neck and was sitting next to Yugi, looking pale and miserable, the usually calm Mahado became rather angry. He rushed to Mana's side. "I trusted you to look after my sister, and you almost got her killed! Mana! Are you okay?! What did Yami do to you?"

"I'm okay Mahado. And it's no one's fault. So please don't take it out on Mister Mutou. Prince bit me okay," she said tearfully. "Mister Mutou saved me, but Prince snatched the Ankh from him and jumped out of the window. It's Prince we have to be worried about right now, not me!"

"Mana and Yugi could have been killed and now we have three demons on the loose! God! What a mess." Mahado was still not happy.

"You don't need to rub my nose in it Mahado. Don't you think I feel bad enough already! Yami is _my_ grandson remember!" Sugoroku argued back forcefully.

"Will you two stop it?!" Ishizu stepped in to calm the two men down. "Everyone is tense and worried right now! Arguing with each other will not save Anzu or Yami. It is my assumption that he will go back to Anzu. Since she infected him, he will feel an attachment to her. Are you well enough to help find them Yugi?"

"You bet I am!" Thankfully, even though his head had bled quite a bit, it was only a small nick to his scalp and didn't require any stitching. He was not concussed.

Mana had lost well nearly two pints of blood and was feeling a little weak from her ordeal. Mrs Mutou had given her a nice mug of warm milk and honey, with some biscuits, to help her recover.

Unfortunately, she didn't really feel like eating or drinking anything at the moment. The thought that her Prince had attacked her, drunk her blood and might have killed her, had Mister Mutou not intervened, was playing over and over in her head. Even though she knew he was not in control, it did not make it any better.

What if they could not save him. Mahado had tried to keep her away from the dangers they might face, but she was not stupid and was well aware that people possessed by demons did not often survive with their souls intact.

Yugi looked at her with concern. "We _will_ save them Mana. I promise." He touched her arm lightly.

She looked up at him and half smiled. Poor naïve Yugi, he was in danger of not only losing the woman he loved, but his brother as well. And yet he was still looking on the positive side, believing they will be saved. Anzu had done some terrible things to hurt him, and now Yami was hurting him too. But Yugi still loved them both and was willing to forgive. Mana hoped that she could remain as positive as Yugi. But what if they could not be saved? Could either of them cope with that?!

Mana's eyes filled with fresh tears at the thought, and Yugi leaned over to put a comforting arm around her. "It's okay Mana. I will go with Mahado and find them. You stay here and rest, my mum will look after you."

"I can't rest, I have to get to work, the salon is busy today," she sniffed, slowly trying to get up. She needed to be busy.

"No! You're not going to work in this condition Mana. I will ring the salon and tell them you are unwell. Only sleep will make up for the blood you've lost," Hana ordered.

By five thirty, Yugi, Sugoroku, Mahado and Ishuzu were on their way to the Domino City red light district.

Since most of the occupants of the red light district worked nights, it was very quiet at this time of day. The only place open was a small pizza bar/cafe, which stayed open all night.

There was also a man driving a street cleaner, sweeping up all the debris from the night before.

He ignored the four strangers and got on with his work.

Mahado held the ring in his hands and concentrated, hoping that it would lead them to Anzu's apartment. As they crossed the road from the cafe, one of the pointers moved. "There!" Mahado looked up and pointed towards a three-story apartment building. "The Ring has detected the Ankh. It says they are in there!"

"But it can't lead you to their door unless we can get inside!" Ishizu sighed.

"How do we get inside?" Yugi asked.

"Is the Tauk or the Puzzle able to show us a room number... or anything?!" Sugoroku enquired hopefully.

Yugi yawned, the disturbed night, and the fight with his brother was catching up with him. "No, not at the moment. What about you Ishizu?"

"Nothing. The Tauk has been strangely quiet and it is unable to see the futures of those who are in possession of an item."

Having noticed Yugi yawning, Mahado suggested he should go home and get some rest. But Yugi was adamant that he was not going anywhere until he had found his brother and Anzu.

"We both need to be at work in three hours, we have to find them quickly!" Mahado urged, looking at his watch.

"I'm not going to uni today," Yugi informed them. "I'm staying here all day if I have to."

"How about we get some coffee from that cafe while we decide our next move," Sugoroku suggested.

"The cafe owner!" Yugi perked up a little. "Anzu loves pizza! My guess is she will have eaten there. He might know her address."

"Good thinking Yugi," Ishizu agreed.

The four of them took a seat in the window of the pizza take away/cafe opposite the apartment block. The tables and chairs were rather cheap and tatty so they were not expecting the coffee to be very nice. However, they were pleasantly surprised when the Italian owner brought them four mugs of frothy, creamy cappuccino and a plate of home made biscotti. They thanked him.

"Have you seen a young woman who looks like this? Her name is Anzu." Yugi showed the man a picture of Anzu on his phone.

"Anzu! That her real name huh? Yeah, I know her, calls herself Tea though. She works as a dancer at the Liquid and Envy down the street." He jabbed a thumb in the direction of the club. "Comes in for a coffee sometimes, and often has a take out pizza on the way home from the club." A smirk appeared on his face. "I seen her dance! She's pretty hot." His expression dropped when Yugi gave him a disgusted look that could kill. "Erm.. Family huh?"

Before Yugi could say anything, Sugoroku spoke. "She is very important to my Grandson and we have to find her. Her parents are also very worried about her."

The man nodded. "Yeah, we get a lot of runaways that don't wanna be found. I never ask why they end up here. It's none of my business."

"Do you know the number of her apartment?" Yugi asked hopefully. The man shook his head.

"Nah, can't help you there. But my waitress will be in later, she chats to her a bit more, so she might know."

"Is it alright if we wait?" Mahado asked.

"Be my guest, just as long as you buy coffee or food." He went back behind the counter, leaving them to watch the building opposite.

At eight thirty, Ishizu was forced to leave for work. There was no way Mahado could leave Yugi and Sugoroku alone, so he told her to tell them he was sick and would not be in today.

The three men sat there until almost midday and still there was no sign of either Anzu or Atem. They asked the waitress when she arrived at work, and they also asked othercustomers that came in, but they either did not know or did not want to say – Yugi could not tell.

None of them saw the little red car that emerged from the underground car park into the side street opposite. It turned right and drove right in front of the cafe. The pointers on Mahado's Millennium Ring suddenly went crazy underneath his sweater, causing him to startle and put his hand to his chest. "The Ring is reacting!" He breathed.

Before anyone could stop him, Yugi jumped to his feet and rushed outside. But he saw nothing. Mahado joined him, just as the little red car disappeared from view.

"The pointers have stopped moving. I think they have gone," Mahado said quietly.

"But how?! How could we have missed them?" Yugi was beyond frustrated.

"Judging by the speed of the Ring's reaction, the only thing I can think of is that they were travelling by vehicle."

"That's it," he fretted, "they've gone, we've lost them!" Yugi banged his fist angrily into the metal advertising board causing it to clang and sway on its concrete base.

"Come on Yugi, we should go home and rest," Sugoroku said trying to comfort him.

"I can't rest, not until I find them." Yugi sheepishly rubbed his bruised hand.

"We are all tired Yugi. We will see things more clearly one we have rested," Mahado assured him.

Reluctantly, Yugi agreed. He was already hatching his next plan.

* * *

 **So now they have lost Yami to the Dark Side! What will they do to get him back? Can they?**

 **Please review.**


	29. Chapter 29

I read a while ago, that Kazuki Takahashi based Yugi's costume design on Edward Scissorhands. I could not resist giving that a mention in this chapter.

Warnings: Character death, violence and a little bit of swearing.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh or Edward Scissorhands.

* * *

Broken Dreams

Chapter 30 Hunted.

Hidden deep in an underground chamber beneath the library, sat thousands of ancient scrolls and documents, guarded by the tomb keepers. Many listed ancient ritualistic spells that were considered far too dangerous, and were therefore being kept secret so that they could never fall into the wrong hands - to be misused.

Ishizu had warned Shadi that they needed to be prepared for the worst case scenario, so Shadi had been working late into the evening researching demon ascension, and also looking for clues in the ancient text, as to how they might defeat Zorc and close the Shadow Realm – should the demon be successful in its quest to reap havoc upon mankind.

There was no phone signal underground and Shadi had not received the recent message Ishizu had left for him to contact her, or the messages her brothers had also left.

At around eight in the evening, Shadi had found the information he was looking for; on rituals to raise demons, rituals to destroy demons and rituals on demon ascension. He photographed them and then rushed upstairs so that he could mail the text to Ishizu. As soon as he reached ground level, his phone beeped with messages asking him to ring Ishizu urgently, ring Rishid, and the final message from Marik; to meet with him urgently at an inn called Desert Oasis, on the outskirts of Cairo, where they would stay until their flight to Japan, two days from now.

Shadi hurriedly forwarded the documents to Ishizu, before ringing Marik and confirming that he was on his way immediately.

He gathered up his papers and prepared to leave his office. He dare not go home first, just in case Seto Kaiba was waiting for him there. There were security guards and security cameras in the library, so he felt safe inside. However, once he was outside, he would feel vulnerable.

The main doors were closed at this time of night and Shadi's car was parked in the staff car park at the rear of the building, which meant he would need to use the rear fire exit.

Scurrying towards the exit, he saw a guard standing with his back to him. He felt a sense of relief at spotting another person.

As he reached the exit door, he caught a glimpse of the guard's hands and face. Unlike a native Egyptian, they were pale. Shadi was sure that there were no foreigners working as guards here!

Before he had time to work out that something was wrong, the guard pounced. Shadi felt strong hands around his throat as he was pushed backwards against the wall. Seto Kaiba's face was inches from his and Shadi very quickly realised that he was not staring at the face of a human, but was face to face with a monster.

"Where are the Scales," Demon Seto hissed. Shadi could smell blood on his breath – he must have killed the guard and taken his uniform. How did he not notice that the uniform was too short on Seto's gangly body?!

"I.. I.." Shadi coughed at the tight grip and could not answer, so Seto released his grip slightly. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Seto's eyes fell to the duffel bag hanging on Shadi's shoulder, causing Shadi to flinch. Seto smirked.

With one sharp twist, he snapped Shadi's neck and allowed his body to fall to the floor.

Bending down, Seto picked up the bag and opened it. Inside were the scales. He then spotted the mobile device that Shadi had been clutching in his hand but had dropped when he fell. Picking it up, Seto noticed it was security password protected. He shrugged, no big deal, it would not take him long to hack into it and find out who Shadi had been messaging.

Carefully supporting the body, Seto exited the building. Spotting a security camera surveying the parking area, he pulled out a jamming device and pointed it at the camera, rendering it useless for the next five minutes or so. He quickly found Shadi's car and placed the deceased man in the passenger seat. A quick search of Shadi's wallet revealed his address.

Upon arrival at Shadi's small two story home, in a quiet suburb of Alexandria, he parked under the car port. It was secluded and dark so there was no possibility of being spotted as he carried the body of Shadi inside the house.

Doubting the police would bother to investigate that fully, he laid the body down on the floor at the foot of the stairs to make it look like an accident. He had been wearing gloves throughout, so there was no possibility of leaving any prints as evidence. He then proceeded to hack into the mobile phone he had picked up earlier.

With the phone accessed, he quickly found what he was looking for: Marik was hiding out at an inn called Desert Oasis. He was glad that these humans were so stupid as to leave him a trail.

::::::::::::

Yugi shaved, cleaned his teeth and took a long hot shower when he arrived home from their failed attempt at capturing Anzu and Atem. He was feeling pretty wretched and his head ached from where he had banged it.

Once undressed, he also noticed the ugly bruising on his arms where his brother had grabbed him.

Getting the dried blood out of his hair was not an easy task. He had to take extra care around the small cut, and as he gently worked the shampoo in around it he could feel where a nasty bump had now formed. " _Ouch"_ he hissed when he pressed a little too hard.

Exiting the shower, he dried off and dabbed his hair dry carefully. As he did so his tummy started rumbling with hunger.

He quickly dressed and went downstairs to where his mother was waiting to serve up the chicken soup she had saved from last night.

"You look tired sweetheart," Hana informed him as he sat down at the dining table.

"Yeah, I will feel better for something to eat." He smiled at her weakly as she placed the bowl of soup down in front of him. "Thanks Mum. Where's Grandpa?"

"He's gone to his room to rest. I'm afraid all the activity has left his back feeling a bit sore, so he decided not to open the shop today. Oh! And I have called the glazers to come and replace the broken window," she informed him.

Yugi devoured the first bowl of soup quickly and went back for seconds. His mother topped up his bowl with a slightly pained expression, which Yugi noticed.

"Are you okay Mum? I know it looks bad, but we _will_ get them back, I promise." His mother looked close to tears.

"Yami's manager rang to find out why he wasn't at training today. He has an important game at the weekend and is likely to be dropped if he doesn't show up tomorrow. His place in the Japanese team, for the match against Australia, could also be at risk too. He has worked so hard for this and was so excited to be part of the national team. I didn't know what to say. I mean... how _do_ you tell people about all this?!" his mother said tearfully. Yugi did not know what else he could do so he hugged her.

"I think I'm gonna go to my room and rest for a while. It might be a long night and I will need my strength if I'm to find Anzu and Yami."

"Are you sure you should be going back there tonight?" Hana was worried.

"We have to Mum, it's the only lead we've got."

"Take care Yugi. I don't want to lose both my boys." She lovingly stroked his cheek and kissed his it. He might be nineteen, but he was still her baby.

"It's going to be okay Mum." Placing his hand over hers, he smiled sadly. He hoped he was right.

Once in his room, he rang Jonouchi to tell him that Anzu was back in Domino, and that Yami was now with her. Jonouchi was horrified when he heard what had happened.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?! I would have helped ya!"

"We thought we had everything under control last night, but it all happened so fast. This is the first chance I've had to call you."

"We shouldn't be wastin time! We gotta go back now! We gotta find em Yuge?"

"I already have a plan for tonight, but... well, It's kind of sensitive, I don't really want to get anyone else involved."

"You kiddin me?! I ain't letting you put yourself in danger Yuge. I'm coming round right away to discuss this plan!" He did not see Yugi cringing on the other end of the phone.

Fifteen minutes later, Yugi heard the roar of Honda's motorcycle as it pulled up outside.

The plan Yugi had hatched, did not involve taking anyone else with him. He had not even told his grandfather or Mahado that he intended to go to the strip club tonight. He did not know exactly what Anzu's performance would entail, but he imagined it would involve nudity. And there was no way he wanted anyone close to them seeing Anzu dancing like that! Of course, it was a risk, but one he was prepared to take for the sake of Anzu's dignity. He knew Mahado would disapprove of his actions, but he reasoned that it would be worth it. He would tell them he was not feeling well enough to go with them to stake out Anzu's apartment. As soon as they had gone, he would sneak out to the club. Once there he would allow Anzu to take him somewhere private and use the Puzzle to capture her. Mahado could then free her from the demon's control. In his own mind, it was a great plan!

As soon as the trio sat down, Hana brought them tea and pastries, which Jonuchi and Honda devoured before Yugi could even get a look in!

"Okay Yugi, spill?! What's this plan you have hatched that doesn't involve anyone?" Jonouchi mumbled with his mouth full.

Yugi visibly cringed in response and his face flushed. He really did not want them to know what Anzu was doing at the club, but he knew they would wring it out of him anyway, so he might as well tell them.

Composing himself, Yugi explained to them that Anzu was working as a dancer at the Liquid and Envy. The club's reputation was well known locally and his two friends were shocked that Anzu was working there. Jonouchi almost spat his mouthful of pastry across the table.

"Geez Yuge! I can't believe Anzu would dance somewhere like that! She hates those sort of places! No way I'm letting you save her on your own, I'm coming with ya!"

"Of course he wants to go. He wants to leer at all the scantily clad waitresses and dancers?" Honda smirked.

"Meh, heh..." Jonouchi stopped laughing when he saw the pained look on Yugi's face.

Honda saw it too. "Sorry Yugi. I forgot about Anzu being a... a."

"Pole dancer! Lap dancer! Stripper! It's okay Honda, you can say it!" Yugi clenched his fists. "My girlfriend is being forced to dance in a strip club and gets leered at by men," he said, with disgust evident in his tone.

"Yugi, you don't have to do this! Why not let us rescue her for you? You can go with Mahado to find Yami," Jonouchi offered. Yugi shook his head.

"I didn't want to tell you guys because I don't want you to see her like that. Anzu will never get over the humiliation if she knew you had seen her.. you know.." he shivered at the thought. "But if I want to save her I have to put that aside. You guys can't fight a demon on your own and deep down, I know I can't either, but I have faith that inside her heart the real Anzu will not want to hurt me, so I at least have to try."

"Yeah, but what if she can't stop herself hurting you? You need us there to watch your back Yugi," Honda stated firmly. Yugi grimaced slightly as he thought about their offer.

"I suppose," he sighed. "But just promise me, that once we have saved her, you won't talk about it, ever again?" Yugi pleaded.

"You can trust us Yuge. We will spare Anzu's blushes," Jonouchi promised.

"Yeah, we won't judge Yugi, I promise. We are Anzu's friends and we want to help her," Honda reassured. Yugi heaved a sigh of relief.

"Thanks guys. It means a lot that you care." He still felt a knot in his chest, but felt better now that he had his friends watching his back.

Sugoroku came into the kitchen. "What are you boys chatting about?"

"Nothing much," Yugi tried to sound casual. "Has Mahado been in touch yet?"

"Hmm," Sugoroku eyed him suspiciously. If he were Yugi he would be planning to go to the club tonight. "Not yet." He scratched his beard. "I thought I might suggest to him that we focus our search on the club, tonight." He noticed Yugi cringe slightly. "Anzu works there so we stand a good chance of finding her there. And hopefully she can lead us to Yami."

"Y.. yes Grandpa, we were just saying that we should go there to find her," Yugi squirmed in his seat.

"Jolly good, because for one moment I was worried you three were planning to go without me." He picked up the remote control and turned the television on. "The news is about to start."

Yugi was not sure if he should be relived or annoyed that his grandfather wanted to go to the club with him. Yugi really could not stand the thought of his grandfather seeing his girlfriend like that! Yugi had watched a porn video called Dancing Girls, and some of the things they did in the video were really dirty! Yugi remembered how turned on he had been by it, and how mortified he was when his grandfather had found it and confiscated it – with a big smirk on his face! The thought of Anzu doing anything like and Grandpa seeing her filled him with utter horror.

Their bottom jaws nearly hit the floor when they saw the local news headline: _Tetsu Ushio, the 21 year old son of Domino Police force's Chief Traffic Officer, Daisuke Ushio, has been found_ _brutally murdered in the red light district, near the eastern dockland. His body was found by workmen, who had been called to clear out a blocked drain, earlier this afternoon. Police are not disclosing a possible motive at this stage, however there are indications that it could have been some sort of ritualistic gangland killing, since his body appears to have been drained of blood._

 _Police also say that Mr. Ushio is a very large, heavy individual and it would have taken two or more people to lift him and place him inside the drain, which is situated approximately fifty metres behind a club known as the Liquid and Envy. The police have closed the club along with the red light district tonight, while investigations are carried out. They are asking for anyone who was at the club, or in the vicinity the night before last and may have seen anything suspicious, to come forward. Your identity will not be made public and will be treated with the strictest confidence._

The colour drained from Yugi's face. Jonouchi was the first to notice. "You okay Yugi? Anzu might not be responsible!"

"Who else could it be? You heard the report. The demon in Anzu might pick up on her memories of him, and if Ushio tried anything..." He trailed off.

"So what do we do now?" Honda asked. "Club's closed tonight which means we need a new plan."

"We need to inform Mahado of this development." Sugoroku picked up the phone.

::::::::::::

"Can you smell the blood pumping through their human veins?" Anzu whispered over her milkshake. The pair were in a cafe inside the shopping mall.

"It's disturbing," Atem scowled, staring into his chocolate milk.

"You need to make a kill. It will not disturb you as much once you have," she hissed.

"I don't really feel like drinking this milk. Can we get our shopping done and go home?" The craving he was experiencing was making him feel nauseous.

"Come on?!" She grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet. "I know what would look good on you," she winked.

"I feel silly," he grumbled as he crept out from behind the curtain of the changing room. Anzu gasped appreciatively

"Yami! You look gorgeous," she purred at the sight of him in tight fitting leather trousers, black buckle up tank top, with studded boots and accessories of leather belts, wristbands and choker. "Here?! This jacket will go great with it." She handed him a studded leather bikers jacket.

"I look like Edward Scissorhands," he pouted sulkily, making Anzu giggle.

Armed with their shopping, they made their way back to the car.

"I'm thirsty," Anzu stated, winking at him.

"No! I won't do it, I can't," he replied.

"Don't be a wuss," she teased.

"We can't kill here! We're in a crowded mall, we would be seen!" He protested.

"You're scared!" She pulled him away from the car park, towards a building closed off to the public. They entered an abandoned office block, ignoring the sign warning of danger, following a recent earthquake.

"You're mad!" He really felt unsure about this.

They crept up the stairs to the first floor.

"I found a meal here the other day. Homeless people have been using it as a refuge. Shhh..." She pulled him behind the wall when she spotted two men sitting sharing a bottle of cheap vodka. Another person was wrapped up in a dirty sleeping bag and was laying down, possibly sleeping.

Moving with stealth, the pair of demons attacked. The men were too drunk to even react. The third man was already out cold and did not even feel a thing, when, with Anzu's encouragement, Yami snapped his neck.

The pair strolled back to the car as if nothing had happened and drove back to Anzu's apartment.

"Shit! What's going on here?" Atem was nervous when they turned the corner to see the police had cordoned off the area. Anzu calmly pulled over when an officer indicated them to stop.

"What's going on officer?!" She asked politely.

"I'm sorry Miss, but the area has been closed off due to an incident."

"What has happened?! I live here and I need to get into the car park underneath the apartment block!"

"Okay Miss. I can let you through in a moment. But I need to ask you one or two questions. There has been a body found in the drainage system behind the Liquid and Envy. Did you see anything suspicious in the last couple of days?"

"What?! Oh my god! No! I work at the club!" She gasped and placed her hand over her mouth in horror. Her acting was good.

The officer took her address and name – which she gave as Tea. Atem gave his name as Yugi. Since he was a local football hero, he was worried that the officer might recognise him, but the officer didn't seem to notice. He advised them that they may be asked to give a statement and allowed them through.

Once they were safely inside her apartment, Anzu slumped onto the sofa and sighed. "Shit! I was hoping they wouldn't find him so quickly."

"Find who? I'm guessing you killed whoever it was?" Atem sat down next to her and pulled off his new boots, which were rubbing his heels.

"Ushio," she replied. "I killed Ushio. Bastard asked for it."

"No way! Shit! You killed Ushio?!" Atem shook his head in disbelief. "Look! You shouldn't worry. There's no way they will suspect you. Ushio was over six feet and weighed half a ton!"

"Oh, I'm not worried. If anyone says they saw me leave the club with him, I will just say I told him to get lost and then went to the pizza bar. Paolo will vouch for me."

Since Anzu would not be going to work this evening, the pair settled down for an evening in.

::::::::::::

Leaving the house quietly, Seto went to the station and boarded a train to Cairo. It was going smoothly so far and he did not anticipate any problems obtaining the Rod. His only real concern was getting the two items he had liberated, out of Egypt. The Eye was easy to keep hidden, but the other two items were much larger and would be harder to conceal in his luggage. Because of his status, he was seldom subjected to security checks, but since he did not have his private jet and was having to travel on inferior 'public' transport, he would needed to be prepared, should they decide to check his luggage. Forged documents should be enough, failing that, a little mind control on whoever questioned his possession of the items, would have to be exercised.

Still, he would not allow that minor obstacle to deter him, the Rod was his for the taking.

Being cooped up in a room at the back of the pub was boring for Marik. It was clear to him that the landlord did not like him very much and was only letting him stay as a favour to his older sibling - whom he was friends with. Marik had been given the store room to hide out in, there was no window and it was dank. It also smelled of stale beer and cleaning fluid. The makeshift bed in the corner, comprised of three pallets pushed together, with a moth eaten camping mattress wrapped in a blanket, which was scratchy and uncomfortable. The pillow smelled so horrible that he chucked it across the room.

"It's only for two nights," Rishid had told him, but for Marik, it felt far longer and reminded him of when their father forced them to live secretively, in that god awful underground tomb!

His only company in his store cupboard, was his Harley Davidson Sportster, which he had insisted on bringing with him so that he could do some maintenance work on it. Rishid had agreed as it would keep him occupied.

He had been warned not to go outside on his own, but with temptation sitting there... Sod it! He had made up his mind that a little evening ride out into the desert would help stop him going stir crazy!

Seto Kaiba found the pub with ease. He went inside and settled down at the bar for a beer. The bar was fairly crowded, with people having an early evening drink and something to eat. He scanned the bar but there was no sign of his target. Seto drank his beer and then decided to check outside for any out buildings or easily accessible windows or doors. Marik was in here somewhere!

Ignoring Rishid's advice, Marik pushed open the fire escape and wheeled the Harley outside as quietly as he could.

Pulling on his helmet, he started the engine. It roared into life with a deep throaty rumble.

Across the street, Seto heard the familiar sound of the Harley Davidson engine and was instantly drawn to it. There was no mistaking that it was Marik. The flowing silver, blonde locks sticking out from under the helmet gave it away. He could not see the Rod, but presumed that Marik would keep it concealed.

With the Rod safely stowed inside the pannier, Marik revved the engine before riding off down the main street towards the motorway. Seto needed to think quickly before he lost him.

When he spotted two men standing at the side of the road arguing, he acted quickly. Following an altercation, one of the men had got out of his car and had left his engine running and drivers side door open while he angrily confronted the other man. Seizing his chance, Seto jumped into the car and drove off in hot pursuit of Marik. The pair were so deep in their argument that they did not notice until the car drove off.

Checking the rear view mirror, Seto smirked at the sight of the man running along the road shaking his fist and yelling.

Once out into the desert, Marik lost all sense of time – it was just him and the open road.

As the sun dropped lower and started to set, it cast a red glow across the desert. Marik loved this time of day; when the sun began to set and the air grew cooler. The roads were much quieter too, meaning he could open the throttle and enjoy the sense of freedom his spirit gained. He was not aware that he was being followed.

Turning off the main road, he decided to head towards an oasis, where the desert tribes would often gather at night.

It was only then that he noticed the dark blue Mitsubishi Lancer behind him. It seemed to want to overtake him. Driving in Egypt could often be dangerous and Marik was out for a nice relaxing ride and did not want to get into an argument with a motorist. He knew he was more vulnerable on a bike and did not wish to get side swiped by an impatient car driver, so he moved over slightly and waved the driver past.

This was better than Seto had hoped for. With a quick swerve, he clipped Marik's back wheel.

There was absolutely nothing Marik could do to stay upright and the impact came as a complete shock. The bike twitched violently and flipped, sending Marik crashing into the sand bank at the side of the road. He bounced a couple of times and saw stars as his head made impact with the ground. He groaned and tried to move. Luckily, he did not seem badly injured – although, his right arm felt as though it might be fractured.

To say he was furious was an understatement. The bike was about ten feet from him and he was so angry that he wanted to use the Rod on whoever it was that had just hit him. However, they were probably long gone.

Removing his helmet, he cursed and staggered to his feet, oblivious to the pain in his arm. As he ran over to his bike to check how badly damaged it was, he saw that the car had stopped. Fearing for his safety, he grappled with the lock on the pannier to retrieve the Rod so that he could protect himself.

He gasped when, in the rapidly fading light, the silhouette of a tall man appeared over him.

Grasping the Rod in his uninjured hand, he turned to look and let out a gasp when he saw that it was Seto Kaiba looming over him.

"Ah, so that is where you were hiding the Rod. Hand it over?"

"No! Get away from me beast. I won't hesitate to use it," Marik threatened, pointing the Rod at Seto, who just laughed.

"You can certainly try! It won't do you any good." Not giving him a chance to begin chanting a spell, to activate the Rod's ability of tearing the demon from its host, Seto lunged forward and swiped the Rod from marik's hand. This superhuman speed caught Marik off guard and he barely had time to even acknowledge what was happening let alone react. It did not help that he was still a bit dazed from the crash.

"What do you intend to do beast?" Marik hissed defiantly.

"First of all, I intend to steal your motorcycle. Then I will return to Japan to pay a visit to your sister."

Assuming he was a dead man anyway, Marik decided to fight back and lunged at Seto. Grabbing him by the collar, he tried to wrestle for control of the Rod. "There is no way I am letting you steal the Rod _and_ my Harley... Demon!"

"Pitiful human!" Seto swatted him away, using the Rod as a weapon. The club end of the Rod caught Marik on the side of the head, stunning him momentarily and causing him to land painfully on his fractured arm when he fell.

Looming over him, Seto pulled the dagger from the sheath of the Rod. "I should kill you."

"Go on then, I dare you! It will be quicker than letting me starve to death in the desert or becoming food for the jackals and vultures." He hoped his bluff about a slow and painful death would appeal to the demon. Seto need not know that the desert was his home – he had grown up in the desert and knew how to survive here.

It seemed to work because Seto smiled evilly and re-sheathed dagger. Without saying anything, he turned and lifted the bike upright and examined it for damage. It appeared to be fine, apart from a slightly dented petrol tank and a few scrape marks. He put on Marik's helmet and climbed aboard.

"Don't think about following me." He held up the car keys and grinned. "If you can find the keys, you can get home." He pointed the key at the car and pressed the button to lock the doors, he then hurled the keys into the sand dunes. It was nearly dark now, leaving Marik almost no chance of finding the keys until morning.

"Fuck you Kaiba!" Marik shouted as kaiba rode off. The sound of the Harley's engine gradually faded, leaving Marik in total silence. Marik suddenly shivered and noticed that the temperature was starting to drop. Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he checked to see if there was any signal. As he expected, there was not. "Shit, shit, shit!" He kicked a stone angrily. Ishizu and Rishid be angry at him! And Mahado already thought he was a waste of space and would probably be completely unsurprised that he had lost the Rod _and_ the motorcycle Ishizu had bought for him as a birthday present.

His only option was to find those keys, get back to civilisation and alert Rishid so that they could warn Ishizu. God was he in trouble!

* * *

 **I hope you liked this chapter. I was a bit disappointed that the previous chapter only got two reviews. I was pleased with the last chapter myself, but was a bit worried that no one else saw it the same way I did! Reviews also make me smile, give me encouragement and help me to make the story better.**


	30. Chapter 30

Thank you to everyone who reviewed. Things will continue to look bad for everyone for a little while longer! We are now only a few chapters away from the final battle too, where we shall find out who the heroes are.

Adult themes and a small amount of swearing. But at least no one dies in this chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh. I did not come up with the name for the club myself. There did used to be a club nearby called Liquid and Envy but I think it has closed down now!

* * *

Broken Dreams

Chapter 30. Liquid and Envy.

The following night, the club was allowed to re-open.

An increased police presence, meant that the usual drug dealers and prostitutes kept a low profile and the whole area was much quieter.

The police had interviewed several people who had been in the club that night, but were no closer to finding out who might be responsible for Ushio's death. Local people tended not to trust the police and were generally uncooperative.

However, from what they did learn, it seemed Ushio had quite a few enemies. Therefore, the police were viewing it as a gangland killing. They definitely were not looking for a woman.

Since the club was open again tonight, Anzu would be going back to work-

The pair had not been outside all day. Atem was used to being out at training most days and this inactivity was making him restless.

"Relax Yami, we can go out after I finish work tonight and make another kill." Anzu was fed up with him pacing. The carpet was already thread bare and he was going to wear it into a hole at this rate!

"I am not killing any more people." When he had killed those rough sleepers he had felt the demon take a piece of his soul and he did not want to give away any more of himself. It also worried him that the demon may have already taken so much of Anzu's soul that she may be irreversibly damaged.

"I can't stay here," he suddenly snapped. "I have to go to training. I have a game Saturday." Today was Thursday, if he did not show up at the training ground he would be dropped from the team.

"Are you stupid? That is the first place they will look for you!" Anzu spat.

"Well, what the hell am I supposed to do?" he bit back angrily. "You did this to me! So why don't you tell me what I'm supposed to do?!"

"I don't know! You were not supposed to react like this! Once the demon has your soul you are supposed to give in to your new master!"

"Maybe I am not as weak as you. I'm not staying here... I have to go." He went to grab his jacket so that he could leave. Anzu tried a different tactic.

"You are right," she simpered, draping her arms over his shoulders. "Maybe _you_ are our leader and not Seto. You are strong; a born leader and a true King." She brushed her lips against his causing him to smirk.

"A King you say? Then as King I can take what I wish." He grabbed her waist and lifted her up and pulled her against him. She reacted by wrapping her legs around his waist. "Then dance for me," he breathed huskily, "Entertain me." His voice made her shiver. He put her down and she started to perform one of the routines she did at the club. He sat down on a chair, like a King on his throne and watched.

The phone started ringing. "Damn, why do people always have to interrupt when you are enjoying yourself?!" Atem complained, but since he was sat right next to the phone he picked it up anyway, and noticed it was Kaiba. "Yo! Kaiba," he said with a smirk, pushing Anzu away when she tried to snatch the phone from him.

"Mutou! What the fucking hell are you doing there? Where's Anzu?"

"She's right here." Kaiba started talking at him but he ignored him and handed the phone to Anzu.

She caught the end of what he was asking. "Yes Seto, he is one of us now." Her tone then changed. "Are you proud of me?" She purred.

"I would have preferred it if you had killed him!"

"But that wouldn't be any fun! Besides, he's too cute to kill. And he did get us the Ankh." Seto snorted dismissively in response.

"Yes, well I was just calling to say that I have the Eye, the Scales and the Rod! I am waiting for a flight to Japan. We need to locate and obtain the remaining items so that we can begin the ritual. I suggest you get on it right away."

There was a pause... "Well, there might be a few problems with that! We're kind of stuck indoors because the police found a body." Anzu heard him growl on the other end of the line.

"Don't let me down or I will be using you and your new toy as sacrifices."

"Don't worry your ascension will go ahead on time. Who's blood are we going to use to open the Shadow Realm?"

"We each need to choose someone close to our host's heart. Someone they love. I think you know who I will choose. You and your new boyfriend will need to decide who that will be." He hung up.

"What was that all about?" Atem growled.

"He said I should have killed you!" Anzu raised an eyebrow at him.

"And will you?" He smirked.

"Of course not. Seto is just jealous."

He nodded but was not sure he believed her. "What is this ascension?" Atem asked suspiciously.

"If you gave in to your demon side you would know. We need to make more killings!" Atem was starting to understand what it was they were planning to do.

"I won't hurt anyone – especially not those I love. And I don't think you really want to either." He gripped her shoulders and looked into her eyes but there was nothing, only a cold heartlessness.

::::::::::::

Now that the police had removed their tape cordoning off the murder scene and allowed the Liquid and Envy club to re-open, Mahado gave the all clear for them to resume their hunt for Anzu and Atem.

Rather than go to the Liquid and Envy, he suggested they should go early in the evening and wait in the pizza bar/cafe for either of them to emerge. He was against going to the club, partly because he new how much Ishizu disapproved of such an establishment and partly because it could be traumatic for Yugi to see Anzu dancing there.

Against Mahado's advice, Yugi was going to the club anyway. As far as he was concerned, it was the best chance he had of finding her. He would not allow seeing Anzu dancing at a strip club to upset him. He was a grown man, not a naïve little kid, and he had been through enough stress and misery the last month that he had become de-sensitised and less of a romantic than he had once been. It was as if his heart had grown hard and impervious to it all.

"Ready Yuge?" Jonouchi arrived in is tatty old car, with Honda – both were dressed in smart suits and ties; in accordance with the dress code at the club.

Yugi fixed his own tie and found it ironic that a club that encouraged debauchery should be so fussy about the way its customers dressed!

"I'm not letting you boys do this alone Yugi." His grandfather appeared wearing his old tuxedo. "Oh dear! I think I have put on a little too much weight." He was struggling to do up the buttons on his trousers.

"You don't have to come Grandpa."

"Ah! To hell with it. I will just have to leave them undone." He wasn't listening to Yugi and was busy fastening a cummerbund over his unbuttoned trousers, which he had secured as loosely as he could with a safety pin.

"We should let Mahado know that we are just leaving. He won't be happy but he can't stop us going to the club," Yugi said. He dialled Mahado's number but it went straight to voicemail. "Weird!" Yugi thought they would be expecting him to call. He tried the land line but it was busy. Ishizu's number went to voicemail too so he rang Mana. She picked up immediately.

"Ishizu's talking to Rishid! Something bad happened. Shadi's dead and Marik is missing! I will get Mahado to talk to you." She handed the phone to Mahado.

"I think we will have to put tonight on hold Yugi, Ishizu needs me here. Shadi has been found in his home – with his neck broken. Marik disobeyed orders to stay in hiding and has gone out on his motorbike. The bike has been found abandoned at the airport. I believe Seto Kaiba is responsible and it is my assumption that he is on his way here."

"And there is no news of Marik?! I'm sorry, I hope he is safe." Yugi doubted that he was. Poor Ishizu must be distraught. "You look after Ishizu, Mahado. We will still go to the clu.. I mean cafe. I can't spend another night waiting. I have to find them."

"I know you are planning to go to the club... Just be careful Yugi. As soon as you have them, bring them here. The sooner we free them from the demon's control, the better chance we have. If the three of them team up when Seto Kaiba arrives, they may be unstoppable."

"Thank you Mahado. I know what I have to do. I will use the power of the Puzzle to call on the Dark Magician who will neutralize them while we bring them to you. And Mahado? Give my best wishes to Ishizu... I hope Marik is okay."

::::::::::::

Having kicked the rock in a rage, Marik calmed down a little - the rock had given him an idea. Finding a larger rock, he smashed one of the car windows. The alarm immediately went off - Marik was not anticipating that! But realised that if anyone was within ear-shot they would hear it, and hopefully, come to his rescue.

Hot-wiring the car was not an option now, because the alarm would more than likely immobilize the engine!

Careful of his painful arm, Marik reached in and pressed the button to release the central locking. A search of the vehicle revealed a loaded hand gun inside the glove box, some boiled sweets. There was also a blanket folded up on the rear seat. He wrapped the blanket around him to keep out the night chill, and tucked the gun into his waist band – just in case!

He went to the rear of the vehicle and opened the boot. There was an unopened pack containing six small bottles of water, a half full flask of tea that was now almost cold, and a lunch container with an uneaten apple inside it. At least he would not starve or die of thirst! However, what he was looking for was a torch. It appeared that the man was probably a tradesman of some sorts, because inside the boot was also a box of tools.

"Bingo!" Marik smiled when he found a torch inside the box. Now he could search for the keys, before the desert breeze and forever shifting sands covered them completely.

The car alarm had stopped for a few minutes and Marik jumped when it started up again.

An hour later, he was still laboriously scanning the ground. Thankfully, the car alarm had re-set itself and had stopped going off – either that, or the battery was dead! Marik hoped that it was not the latter.

The beam from the torch was powerful and picked up all sorts of shapes in the dark, but each time Marik got his hopes up it turned out to be a stone, a small lizard or a small rodent. He was careful to watch out for scorpions and poisonous snakes! He was certain the keys landed somewhere around here! Maybe he should broaden his search.

Feeling exhausted, he took a break, and after eating the apple and drinking one of the bottles of water, he resumed searching.

He whooped for joy and almost fist pumped the air, when at last, he suddenly stumbled across the keys – no where near where he thought they had landed! It was now almost three in the morning.

At last! He could make it back, find Rishid and warn Ishizu about kaiba. However, the journey back would take over an hour. And twenty minutes in, the car ran out of fuel. Curse his rotten luck.

But at least he was now on the main road. Hopefully, he could hitch hike back into Cairo.

He finally arrived back in Cairo at almost seven in the morning after finally managing to get a ride with a truck driver. He did not go back to the pub, but went straight home to find Rishid in a state of panic! Rishid never panicked about anything, so Marik knew that things were worse than he imagined.

"Marik! Thank God you're alright! We thought..." A relieved and tearful Rishid threw his burly arms around his adopted sibling.

"Y. yes... I'm... Ow! Rishid, my arm!" Marik was surprised by his usually stoic brother's show of emotion and affection. Rishid stepped back in surprise.

"Your arm! What happened to you?"

"I think my arm is broken." Marik flexed his fingers and grimaced at the discomfort. He then went on to explain what had happened after he had gone out for a ride. Rishid was not angry with him for disobeying orders, nor did he seem to care that Marik had lost the Rod. He was just thankful that Marik was safe.

"We must get you to the hospital and inform Ishizu – she is out of her mind with worry. I'm afraid Kaiba visited Shadi before he went after you. Shadi is dead!"

Hearing this news really hit home and Marik suddenly realised just how lucky he was that Kaiba had let him live.

::::::::::::

The club was nothing like Yugi imagined. From the outside, it had looked fairly small and the facade was scruffy. Heavy black doors flanked by ferocious looking bouncers gave it a seedy, dangerous appearance. But once inside it was spacious and lavishly decorated with loud (but not so loud that you could not hear yourself talk) music playing. Scantily clad girls in nothing more than the most tiny gold lamé bikini's decorated with tassels walked round taking orders and serving drinks. Yugi felt himself flushing slightly, at his inability to prevent himself admiring the cleavage of the waitress when she bent down to place their drinks on the table. He was not a drinker, especially since that night he had got drunk, but he felt tense so he ordered a beer to help him relax.

"We should be discreet," Sugoroku warned. "We don't want Anzu to spot us. We wait until she leaves and we follow her to her apartment and then we tackle her."

Yugi wondered how he could be discreet with his hair! He had done his best to tame it so she wouldn't spot him, but it still stood out.

Watching the first two dancers caused butterflies to flutter in Yugi's stomach. The part of him that wanted to enjoy watching the strippers was soon quieted by the thoughts of disgust when he thought that Anzu would probably be doing something very similar.

Jonouchi and Honda on the other hand were taking it all in with lustful interest.

Even his grandfather seemed to be watching the dancers appreciatively. Yugi shrunk down in his chair and tried not to look.

"What's up Yuge?" Jonouchi asked above the thumping music.

"Nothing. I'm just not sure that I want to watch the girls dancing like that! It's degrading."

"It's sexy," Honda grinned and then saw Yugi's face. "What?! I.. I mean artistic. Some of the things they do on that pole take skill."

Yugi shot him a glare. "I would enjoy it more if I didn't know Anzu does it!"

Jonouchi tried to sympathise. "Yeah, I guess it's hard for ya to watch Yuge. I know I wouldn't like it if Mai did that. If any guys leered at her like those dudes," he pointed at a small group of men whistling and slipping money into the girls thongs, "I would kick their teeth down their throats."

"Thanks Jou, you just made me feel a whole lot better," Yugi groaned.

"You don't have to stay Yugi," Sugoroku tried to soothe. "We can handle it."

"No!" Yugi shook his head. "I have to save her myself. Besides, we need the Puzzle so I have to be here."

It was time for Anzu's performance. She had no idea that her former friends and ex-boyfriend were sitting watching. From the dance podium, it was difficult to see beyond anyone immediately in front of her due to the spotlight that shone on her. She skipped provocatively up onto the podium to a chorus of wolf whistles and cheers. She was by far the most accomplished dancer in the club and a bit of a star attraction.

"Teana?!" Honda looked at the others when she was announced.

"I guess the girls don't use their own names," Jonouchi shrugged.

"Most use stage names," Sugoroku stated knowingly.

Only part of her routine involved pole dancing, the rest was a bastardised mix of disco and ballet moves that were overtly sexual and teasing in nature. Yugi felt sick.

"It's only acting Yuge," Jonouchi tried to calm him but it wasn't working. He was now on his third beer and was a little less in control of his emotions.

The last straw was when she touched between her legs while thrusting herself at the leering men in front of her. One man rushed onto the stage and tried to join in, pressing his body against hers. Anzu just laughed and seemed to encourage him.

"Fuck this! I'm not putting up with it! " Before anyone could move to stop him, Yugi leaped up and charged at the stage.

"Get your filthy hands off my Girlfriend." He pulled the man away from Anzu and then punched him, sending him flying backwards off the podium.

"Y..Yugi!" Anzu startled. It was the first time she had ever seen him behave so aggressively.

His eyes met hers for a moment and he was horrified that her usually crystal clear, azure eyes were dark navy and soulless. "Anzu, why?!" Tears started to well up but he fought them back. "You can't do this! It's not you! I have come to save you," he said in an attempt at chivalry.

He made a move to wrap her in his arms and take her away from this place. But she tipped her head back and sneered mockingly. "Pfft! You're the one who needs saving." She shoved him. Her demon strength was greater than that of a normal man and he went flying backwards into several of the people watching. Someone grabbed him and punched him.

"Oh! Shit!" Jonouchi and Honda leaped up and joined the fray to save their friend. A real bar brawl had broken out.

Ten minutes later the three young men found themselves roughly ejected from the club by burly bouncers. They were battered and bruised; their suits torn. It was just the sort of punch up Jonouchi usually enjoyed! "Man, what a night! Awesome punch there Yuge, just like I taught ya! Dude was asking for it." Jonouchi was impressed with his friend.

Yugi wiped blood from his split lip. "I'm an idiot. I stuffed up and lost her," he wailed.

"Hey! Don't be so hard on yourself Yugi. I would do the same if someone came onto my girlfriend like that!" Honda attempted to comfort.

"You don't have a girlfriend you idiot!" Jonouchi teased, shoving Honda's shoulder.

"How do you know? I don't tell you everything moron." Honda pushed him back. He had not told Jonouchi that he had taken Shizuka out on a couple of dates. Jonouchi was worse than on overprotective father where his sister was concerned. Mai knew about it though, and had said that if their relationship grew then she would be the one to deal with telling Jonouchi.

"Guys! Can you stop arguing?" Yugi snapped, losing his patience with them. "Not only have I lost my chance to rescue Anzu. Grandpa has disappeared too!"

"Oh!" The pair said at the same time.

"Where da heck did he go?" Jonouchi said with a worried frown.

While the brawl was taking place, Anzu had slipped out through the dressing rooms and left the club.

Because attention was focussed on the fight, Sugoroku had managed to follow her without anyone spotting him. He kept his distance so as not to alert her. She disappeared into a dressing room and emerged five minutes later wearing jeans, boots and a coat, and was also carrying a kit bag. She then went out through a side door, onto the street behind the club. Turning left, she hurried along for about five hundred metres and then turned into another side street that emerged right next to the apartment block where she lived.

Back along the main road, Yugi and his friends were still dusting themselves off and worrying where Yugi's grandfather had disappeared to, unaware that he had followed Anzu.

Unlocking the main front door, Anzu went inside, leaving the heavy spring on the door to pull it shut. Sugoroku slipped out from the side street and rushed to put his foot between the the heavy door and the frame, just before it had time to close.

He heard footsteps going up the stairs and followed quietly. He reached the second floor and peered around the handrail, spotted her as she entered an apartment. The door closed behind her. He walked over to it and checked the number on the door. It was number twelve.

Smirking in triumph, he made his way back out onto the street to find Yugi and his friends running towards him. He stood in the doorway, holding it so that it wouldn't close fully and waited for them.

"Grandpa! Where have you been?!" Yugi gasped.

"While you boys were getting yourselves in trouble, I was finding out the number of Anzu's apartment," he said proudly.

"You followed her?!" Yugi wanted to hug his grandfather. "Thank you Grandpa!"

"Then what are we waiting for?!" Jonouchi dashed forward, ready to capture her.

"Whoa, whoa!" Honda grabbed his collar. "We need to make a plan first. She's unlikely to open the door to us. And if she knows we have found her address she might run."

"What do you suggest we do Grandpa?" Yugi was getting impatient himself.

Sugoroku scratched his beard. "If we knock on the door, she will be suspicious. This is what we do. Jonouchi and Honda stay here and ring the doorbell. Myself and Yugi will go up and wait outside her door. Honda, you ring the door bell and put on a false voice to tell her you have a pizza delivery. When she presses the buzzer to let you in, she will probably open the door to wait for the pizza. I will stand right in front of her but at a safe distance, to lure her outside. Yugi will be there with the Millennium Puzzle, ready to incapacitate her. If Yami is with her we can capture him at the same time."

"That's a useless plan, you need two guys with muscle!" Honda voiced.

"Yeah! What if they haven't even ordered pizza?!" Jonouchi sounded confused.

"Honda and Jonouchi are right, I think we should all go upstairs and just ring her doorbell," Yugi decided. "It's safer that we all stick together. Don't forget there's two of them and four of us stand a better chance of capturing them."

With that agreed, they hesitated for a few moments, before nervously ascending the two flights of stairs.

Anzu seemed flustered when she came in. Atem was laying on the couch watching television and was not expecting her back soon. "What's the matter?" He asked, worried.

"Nothing... there was a fight at the club so I came home early."

"Are you sure it's nothing? You seem agitated."

"Yugi was at the club, he started it."

"What?! Yugi was at the club and started a fight?!" He sniggered at the thought.

"Yes, he started the fight. Grab your things we need to leave!" She turned the television off.

"Hey! I was watching that...!"

"I think your grandfather may have followed me, so hurry up!" She dragged him off the sofa.

He quickly put his shoes on, grabbed his jacket and backpack and followed her. When they opened the door and went onto the landing, they could hear Yugi and the others talking in the entrance hallway. Peering round the side of the stairs cautiously, they saw that the four men were coming up the stairs.

"Into the lift, quickly!" Anzu whispered. The pair pressed the button but the lift was not working.

"Shit! Quick, up to the next floor, we can use the fire exit," Atem decided. They hurried up to the next floor and went out through the fire exit and onto the cast iron steps that took them down onto the roof of another building. From there, it was not an issue for them to jump from the roof onto the ground. They entered the basement car park, got into the little red car and drove away.

Just moments after they had gone, Yugi, his friends and grandfather, appeared on the landing where Anzu's apartment was situated. They heard the fire door upstairs close with a slight bang but assumed it was another resident closing their door.

Yugi put his ear to the door of Anzu's apartment but there was no sound from within. He took out his Dark Magician card, ready to summon him from the Spirit World.

Impatient for something to happen Jonouchi reached forward and pressed the buzzer. There was no answer so he pressed it again and again!

After a few moments Yugi became frustrated and began hammering on the door, calling out for Anzu and his brother to answer it.

A door on the opposite side of the hallway opened and a gruff looking man peered out. "Will you fucking stop your shouting. Some folks are trying to sleep!"

"S.. sorry, but you haven't seen the young woman who lives here, have you?" Yugi enquired.

"No, I ain't. People round here keep their noses out of other folks business." He went back inside and slammed the door shut.

Having heard the noise, a woman appeared, looking annoyed. "What are you four doing disturbing my tenants?!" She snapped. Yugi stepped forward.

"Sorry! We didn't mean to, but we were looking for Anz.. I mean Teana." The woman looked at him as though she recognized him.

"Oh! You must be the young man that moved in with her the other day," she smiled knowingly. "Teana is probably at the club!"

"Yeah, I.." Yugi quickly realised that she thought he was Atem. "I erm.. I forgot she had gone out. I left my key inside and can't get back in." he said sheepishly.

"Why didn't you come and speak to me, instead of waking everyone up with all that noise?! Just this once, and because you're cute, I will let you in." She got out a big bunch of master keys and unlocked the door.

"Thank you," Yugi bowed to be polite.

They nervously entered the apartment to find it empty.

"I don't believe it! Where'd they go?!" Jonouchi groaned in frustration.

Yugi peered out of the window. He was pretty sure they would not have left that way. It was far too bigger drop. "Maybe they knew we were coming and went up onto the roof or something."

"The noise we heard when we came up the stairs!" Jonouchi gasped.

"We should check," Sugoroku suggested.

They went up to the top floor and spotted the fire escape door at the end of the hall. Honda pushed it open and looked out onto the platform and metal stairway that lead down, and onto the much lower roof of the neighbouring building. "There's our answer," Honda said with an air of disappointment.

"I can't believe we lost them. Now what do we do? They know we are on to them so it's unlikely they will come back here again," Yugi whined.

"Never mind Yugi. I know it looks hopeless but we will figure something out." Sugoroku patted him on the back.

"We should check in with Ishizu and Mahado," Yugi sighed despondently. He blamed himself for how badly the evening had gone. He had thought he could deal with seeing Anzu dancing at the club, but when he saw the way she was behaving and enticing those men, he had let his emotions take over and his temper flare. Now they had lost her, and probably Yami too - it was all his fault! Mahado was right, he should not have gone to the club.

 **Damn, those demons got away again! That won't happen for much longer when the demons make their move.**

 **At least Marik is safe. I could not kill off Marik!**

 **Please leave a review.**


	31. Chapter 31

Here is the next chapter for you. It is a bit of a transitional chapter and was not very easy to write. My original draft was terrible so I have completely re-written it!

There are mentions of blood and gore and some suggestive comments, but nothing bad.

The usual disclaimers apply: I do not own Yugioh, but if I did no censorship would have been allowed!

* * *

Broken Dreams

Chapter 31. Low Point

When the news reached Ishizu that Marik was safe, she felt a huge sense of relief wash over her. Yes, he had disobeyed orders not to go out. He had also damaged the motorcycle that Ishizu had gone to great lengths to import from America for his birthday. And of course, the most serious concern of all – he had lost the Millennium Rod! But when Ishizu weighed all this against the fear she had felt at the prospect of losing her younger brother, they all paled in comparison.

"Thank the Gods," she breathed into Mahado's embrace. Mahado frowned as he rested his chin on Ishizu's head. He was relieved that Marik was safe, but extremely angry that the young man had been so irresponsible. They had now lost four of the Millennium items and they could not afford to lose any more. He refrained from expressing the opinion that he thought her younger brother an imbecile.

With each passing day, it seemed that the demons were moving forward towards their goal, while they seemed to constantly be on the back foot.

They had failed to protect Atem from the demon and with him now on the demon's side, the situation looked bleak. While Ishizu felt inclined to view Yugi as their possible saviour, Mahado held the opinion that Atem was the stronger of the two Princes and that it was he who would be the one who would ultimately destroy the demon. But without Atem at his side, he was unsure if Yugi was capable of harnessing the true power of the Millennium Puzzle. The young man was very likeable and although the Puzzle seemed to have chosen him to complete it, when it came to using its power, Yugi was inexperienced and lacked the confident, commanding influence that his brother had.

Of course, Yugi's friends would back him up, but while they knew how to fight with their fists, they had no idea how to control monsters in a Shadow Battle – still, they were loyal and that counted for a lot.

As a powerful magician, Mahado knew the over all responsibility to protect everyone lay with him... and Mana. As much as he wanted to deny it and keep her safely out of harms way, he had to accept that his younger sister possessed a heka almost as powerful as his own – a little wayward at times perhaps, but strong none the less. She did not wish to be left out of the fight and he could not afford to overlook her abilities. He needed to put aside his over protectiveness towards her and accept that she would be a valuable asset in the battle and could possibly influence the outcome in their favour.

"Yugi and his grandfather are here." Mana came into the room with Yugi, Sugoroku, Jonouchi and Honda following behind.

After their evening at the club had ended so badly, they were at least, relieved that Marik had turned up and was safe. However, the news about Shadi's murder and the two Millennium items being taken was not so good.

Yugi was starting to get a bad feeling that maybe they were fighting a losing battle. It seemed nothing was going their way. Yugi felt it was his fault that Yami had also been seduced into siding with the demon. If he had not left the Puzzle in his bedroom and been more proactive in helping his brother fight the demon from his soul, his brother would still be here.

Tonight, he had been so close to saving Anzu but had stupidly allowed his emotions to boil over and had lost his cool, losing her as a result.

The items were being taken one by one and they seemed to be losing the fight – could things really get any worse?!

If the so called Gods were watching, couldn't they just give them a break?

"I don't think I'm strong enough to do this," Yugi choked out the words. "Everyone close to me is being taken by the demon. I couldn't help Kaiba, I couldn't stop him from taking Anzu. Yami is gone because of me. And it's my fault we lost Anzu tonight. I'm too weak."

"How is any of this mess your fault Yugi?!" Honda asserted.

"Yeah Yugi!" Jonouchi grabbed his shoulders and looked into his face. "We were with you at the club. If anything it's our fault for not looking out for ya! So don't go falling apart on us buddy, because we need you!"

"Jonouchi is right Yugi. I couldn't help Yami either, so if anyone is to blame for losing him, it is me," Sugoroku added.

Ishizu was next to express her own anxiety. "I too have looked at my own errors of judgement and blamed myself for the initial unfolding of these events. However, there is no point looking back at something we cannot change. All we can do now is turn the tables in our favour. The final battle is about to start and we all need to be ready and willing to do whatever it takes to prevent the world from destruction."

"Ishizu is right. It will do no good for us to wallow in our own failings. You should all go home and get some sleep," Mahado said, rubbing his temples to try and ease the beginnings of a head ache. "Seto Kaiba is on his way here and we will need to be fresh and ready to face him. I suggest that no one goes out alone or does anything that puts themselves or anyone else in danger. Especially you Yugi. I know how upset you are about Anzu and your brother, but please don't go looking for them on your own."

"It's okay Mahado, you don't need to worry, I won't," Yugi said sadly. Despite the pep talk, he was still feeling utterly defeated.

:::::::::::

After they left the red light district, Anzu and Atem drove out of the city into the surrounding hills.

They needed to get away from Domino for a while to avoid being detected by the Millennium Ring.

"I'm starving!" Anzu complained.

"It's getting late! I'm not sure many restaurants will still be open! We may have to try a motorway service station or a drive-through."

"Stupid! Not food. I need blood and souls... The shadows are hungry."

Atem grunted in response. He was trying to resist, but the demon clawing at his soul was also demanding food. Just thinking about the thick, iron rich taste of the crimson life force flowing through the veins of each human was making him salivate, and embarrassingly, he drooled on his chin when his fangs slid unnervingly into place at the thought.

He pulled the car off the main road onto a quiet, narrow lane that lead up to an area that was used for camping. It got very busy during the summer months, however, at this time of year it was very quiet. Occasionally, the odd hardy camper would pitch up in the woodlands, and during the quieter months, it was also a popular place for courting couples to park up and enjoy some intimacy.

"We might find something to feed on here," he informed her as he parked on the edge of the woodland, out of sight.

As demons they had extremely good night vision and smell, and like most predators were excellent night hunters. Anzu sniffed the air. "I smell something." Sure enough, there was a small two person tent and the remnants of a camp fire still smouldering a few feet away from the tent.

Anzu flexed her fingers to reveal long, razor sharp claws.

Moving quickly, she sliced through the canvas, like a feral cat clawing through your best curtains!

The couple inside the tent barely knew what was happening. Two blurs moving with such superhuman speed, pulled them from their slumber and drained them of their life force.

It was a rather frenzied attack, and their slashing claws left them spattered with blood. They had to rinse themselves clean in the nearby river.

Back at the car, Anzu dried off using the towel she kept in her ballet kit bag and then changed into a spare tracksuit.

The water had been icy and Atem was left shivering in the cold night air. Anzu handed him the towel so that he could dry off as best he could, but apart from his leather jacket which he had left in the car, he had no clean clothing.

"Where shall we go next? That kill has left me needing some action." Anzu didn't seem to care that he was cold and wet.

"Somewhere I can get some dry clothes and a hot shower, that river was bloody freezing" he shivered.

"Get some clothes from those guys tent," she suggested. He shook his head.

"I don't want to go back there."

"Okay, why don't we check into a motel then. I can get you something to wear in the morning."

With that agreed and with the car's heater on full blast, Anzu took over the driving and took them to a motel on the outskirts of Nagano.

She checked them in, while Atem stayed in the car.

::::::::::::

The night had been long and restless for Yugi. His emotions were still playing with him and his mind kept going over different scenarios and possible outcomes. If only he had gone to New York to spend Christmas with Anzu! None of this would be happening! Or would it? The demon would probably still have found a way. Every time Yugi dozed off, his mind would be plagued by fragmented dreams of what had already happened and of what was to come.

When he eventually woke up at around eleven in the morning, he felt trashed. A cool shower did little to wake him from the funk he was in.

When he staggered down for some late breakfast, his mother was waiting for him.

"Hello Yugi!" she smiled, but it was not a happy smile. "You were out for the count when I came to wake you earlier, so I let you sleep in. You look worn out! I will make you some nice reviving miso soup."

"Thanks Mum. I couldn't stop thinking and dreaming about everything. It's all gone to Hell and I don't know what I am suppose to do without Yami." His voice was flat and resigned to failure.

"You can't give up sweetie. I am sure that with Mahado and Ishizu's help you can work it out."

"How's Grandpa doing?"

"He covers it well, but I think he is suffering as much as you are. We had a call from the football club, they are dropping Yami from the game tomorrow because he has not turned up for training. The manager wanted to know what is going on. We didn't know what to say. Yami is in danger of losing his place in the first team and if that happens his selection for Japan is doubtful."

Yugi put his head in his hands and shook his head, letting out a depressing sigh. "Isn't there something we can do to buy him some time? Tell them he's got tonsillitis or had an accident or something!" He looked at his mother for some sort of guidance.

"Your grandfather and I are going to have a meeting with the manager this afternoon. I just hope we can convince them to give him some time off.. But long term! I don't like to dwell on it."

While his mother and grandfather attended the meeting, Yugi was left in charge of running the store for the afternoon. He hoped his mother and grandfather could come up with a good enough excuse, that would buy Yami enough time for them to save him.

Apart from the odd customer, the shop was quiet. Yugi was sitting at the counter doodling on one of his study books. He was behind with his work and had a mountain of studying to do, but was having trouble focusing on anything because the only thing his mind could concentrate on was the situation they were in.

Right now Kaiba was on his way back to Domino. Mokuba had tried to hack into the airlines computer system but had not managed to find Seto Kaiba on any of the passenger manifestos. They had concluded that he must be travelling under a false name. What would Kaiba do when he arrived? He had neglected the two things that meant more to him than anything else in this world; his company and Mokuba, but would they be his priority? Yugi doubted it. Mokuba was probably in danger but the boy was still refusing to accept that his brother was dangerous.

Would Kaiba come after the Puzzle by himself? Or would he send Anzu and Yami– Yugi knew he needed to be ready for whoever it was attacked him.

Anzu and Yami... A huge lump welled up in his chest at the thought of them both together. Where had they gone after they had left her apartment? They certainly were not in Domino as they had not been able to detect them using magic or the items. Where did they fit into Seto's plans? Would all three co-operate, or had they splintered into rival factions?

Yugi looked up when the door bell chimed and Mana walked in, looking just as miserable as he felt. "Hey Yugi!" Gone was her usually bubbly persona and her voice was flat and tired.

"How are you doing Mana?"

"About as good as you are," she shrugged.

"I thought you were working today."

"I told them I was feeling sick. Mahado didn't want you left on your own in case Kaiba shows up or Prince and Anzu come back. He just dropped me off here. I am your babysitter the afternoon." She giggled half-heartedly.

"Thanks a lot! Now everyone thinks I'm a baby!"

"Sorry," she shrugged, "It's just that everyone is so tense, I thought a little humour wouldn't hurt."

"That's okay. I'm pretty sure the Puzzle will let me know if Kaiba, Anzu or Yami are nearby anyway. Shop's quiet so I was just about to close up. Fancy a drink and a chat?"

"Okay," she nodded and smiled weakly.

He flipped the sign to closed and lead the way up the stairs to the kitchen.

"I just can't believe they would run off together like this!" Mana sipped her tea.

"I'm numb to it now," Yugi admitted. "It was bad enough when Anzu went off with Kaiba. Now she's with my brother... I really want to hate them, but I can't because I know deep down they can't help it."

"I want to help free them but Mahado is still worried about me getting involved! But I'm not a little girl any more, I don't need protecting. When the battle starts I will be there."

"You should listen to him Mana. This demon is really strong – too strong for any of us to go up against alone. It almost destroyed the world once before and Mahado doesn't want anyone to die this time round." He cupped the puzzle in his hands. "I have been doing a lot of thinking: My father gave his soul to defeat the evil demon. Of the two of us, I thought Yami would the one chosen to wield the puzzle and destroy the demon. But Yami is on the demon's side and I'm the one wearing the Puzzle, so now I'm the one who will have to defeat it. I know Mahado is worried about me being capable, but I will save Yami, I will save Anzu and I will try to save Kaiba too... even if it does cost me my life! I'm prepared to do what I have to in order to save everyone."

"No! Yugi, you can't die! I won't let you give your life! Mahado won't admit it but he knows I am almost as powerful as he is. It is part of my role to defend you and Prince, and I will defend you until the end." Mana was trying to sound brave. Yugi smiled sadly and took her hand.

"I'm hoping it won't come to that Mana. You shouldn't have to fight to protect _me!_ I don't intend to die, but if all else fails and I have to, I'm going to die fighting – just like my father."

"Oh Yugi!" She flung her arms around him and hugged him. "Don't.. I don't want anyone to die." She started to cry. "I overheard Mahado talking to Ishizu a few days ago and he doesn't know if Anzu and Prince can be saved. They have to be saved... But if we can't save them, you can't die as well."

Yugi could feel her tears, warm on his neck. He wrapped his arms around her to comfort her. "Hey, it will be okay, I promise." He didn't like making promises he was unsure about keeping.

They pulled apart slightly. "Promise me you will let me help you Yugi. You have the power of a Millennium item and I have a powerful heka. If we stick together, we can both fight to save Prince and Anzu."

"Thank you, If you are sure you want to fight, then I would like you to fight beside me Mana," Yugi nodded and smiled. "I haven't told anyone yet, but I have been getting a strange feeling about the Puzzle – I think Yami might have felt something too. Right before the demon took over, he mumbled something about needing the Puzzle. I thought he wanted to steal it, but I have been thinking about it since last night, and I believe he wanted it because it might have stopped the demon possessing him. I am pretty sure the Puzzle can help him break free from the demon's control."

"That does make sense Yugi. Have you worked out how to use the power of the Puzzle?"

"No," Yugi shook his head. "I'm hoping that when the time comes, the Puzzle will guide me," he said hopefully.

"Hmm," Mana smiled. "Team Yugi and Mana!" The pair bumped fists in solidarity. "Hey! I have been learning some new spells." Mana suddenly leaped up. "Wanna see them?!"

With some trepidation, Yugi agreed. He was worried that she might trash the place!

:::::::::::::

It was just after nine on Saturday morning. Mokuba was sitting at the breakfast table eating pancakes, when– without prior warning, Seto Kaiba came strolling into the mansion.

"Seto!" Mokuba was excited to see him and almost jumped up to hug him, but something told him to be wary of is big brother. "Are you okay? Are you b.. better now?!" He looked like Seto, but Mokuba could not be certain he _was_ Seto!

"What do you mean better? I have not been ill, I just needed some time off, that's all."

"A.. are you sure you are okay? I mean.. w.. would you like some breakfast? Chef made me pancakes!" After a brief moment of tension, Seto's face softened and the side of his mouth curled in a slight smile.

"Yes, I would like some breakfast." To avoid suspicion, he sat down in his usual seat at the head of the table. Mokuba had so many questions to ask him but was not sure if he should push him for information, for risk of antagonising him. He would need to be careful.

"Aren't you going to ask me where I have been?" Seto suddenly snapped. "I know you're dying to know what has been going on!" Mokuba flinched the harshness of his voice.

"It's okay big brother. I figured you would be tired from travelling and didn't want to annoy you by asking you where you have been. Maybe we can catch up later, after my art lesson."

"Hmph!" Seto placed his coffee mug down. "I am going up for a shower. I will be in my quarters and do not wish to be disturbed. I would appreciate it if you did not tell anyone that I am back until I have rested. Enjoy your art lesson Mokuba, we will speak later." He got up and left. Much to Mokuba's relief, there did not seem to be anything too out of the ordinary with Seto.

After Seto had gone to his private quarters, Mokuba quietly picked up the phone. Mahado had told him to let him know immediately, should Seto return. Mokuba was about to dial, when he heard a small amount of background noise on the line. He narrowed his eyebrows and carefully replaced the receiver. His brother had installed the electronic systems in the house and he was pretty sure that his brother was monitoring the line. If he rang Mahado now, Seto would know they were onto him. Maybe he should be cautious after all!

He decided to make the call from his art class.

Seto smirked as he watched the screen that monitored all activities inside the mansion and the surrounding gardens. He had always thought it wise to know what his employees were up to behind his back. His step father had drummed it into him that you could never trust anyone, no matter how close to you they were. When you were rich and powerful, there would always be those who hated you and would go to great lengths to get close while plotting your downfall. Therefore, you had to be one step ahead of them – Seto had learned that lesson very well.

The telephone in the dining room was in use. He figured it must be Mokuba, but no number was dialled and the receiver replaced on its hook – Mokuba must have guessed he was listening.

Seto watched the limo from his window as it was driven away from the mansion to take Mokuba to his art class. As soon as it was out of sight he picked up his phone to dial. He was pretty sure Mokuba suspected something and it was his guess that he would either run straight to Yugi or go to that Ishizu woman and her husband. Mokuba would likely be home around three. He needed to get his plan moving before they were able to gain the initiative over him.

Anzu and Atem had stayed in the Nagano area and were sitting in a motorway service station eating breakfast when Anzu's phone rang. She gasped and looked up at her companion sitting opposite her, looking rather bored and moody. "It's Seto!" She answered it quickly.

"Where are you?" Seto growled abruptly.

"Erm..." Anzu looked around at her surroundings. "At a service station near the Nagano toll road!"

"What the hell are you doing there?! Get back to Domino and meet me at the Mansion."

"Okay Seto. We will be there as soon as we can. Bye..." Seto hung up without answering her.

"Kaiba needs a personality transplant," Atem mumbled, shoving his seat back and standing.

"Says Mister Cheerful!" Anzu huffed. What was it with male demons that made them so damn grumpy all the time?!

The journey from Nagano to Domino took about four hours and Seto waited impatiently for their return. At around lunch time, he dismissed all the staff, telling them that because he was feeling generous, they could all take the rest of the weekend off. It was best that they were out of the way for what he had planned.

Atem and Anzu finally arrived just before three in the afternoon. "About time!" He glared at them and took them to his private quarters. "Where the hell have you been?!"

"We don't jump to order," Atem growled.

"The traffic was bad," Anzu added.

At that moment, they heard tyres on the gravel driveway. "Wait here! Mokuba has returned. We will discuss our plans when I return. " He left them standing in his private study.

It was not like Seto to leave someone alone in his private rooms and as soon as he left, the pair started to snoop around.

"Look at this large bed Yami!" Anzu purred seductively. Atem shrugged and ignored her. He had just opened the door to the bathroom and was marvelling at its opulence.

"I have found something even better!" Anzu leaped off the bed and went to his side.

The moment she reached him, he smirked and pulled Anzu into the large shower room with him. The room consisted of a traditional Japanese bathroom and a fully tiled wet room area, comprising of a large soaker style sprinkler mounted on the the ceiling. A set of doors lead out onto a balcony where a hot tub was situated. "We might as well enjoy ourselves while we have the chance." He turned on the water and pushed her, still fully clothed into the shower. They undressed each other underneath the cascade of water.

The mansion was eerily quiet when Mokuba stepped inside. Hobson would always be there to take his coat and ask him if he required any refreshments, but he was nowhere to be seen! Something was not right!

As quietly as he could, he ran up to his room and locked the door. He decided not to shower and instead stuffed some clothes and a few games into a bag and prepared to leave. Mahado was right, he should not have come home.

When he went back downstairs, Isono was no where to be found!

"Looking for someone?" Seto appeared in the hallway and his sudden presence made Mokuba jump.

"Yes! I wanted Isono to take me to Eguchi's house for a sleepover. We have a school project we wanted to work on and..." Seto interrupted his lie.

"I gave all the staff the weekend off. Isono was told he could go after dropping you home. I thought it would be nice for you and me to spend the weekend together."

"Oh!" Cringing, Mokuba backed away from his brother. Seto smirked and advanced. "Seto! Big brother! You're scaring me!" Seto grabbed him and scooped him up, throwing him over his shoulder. Mokuba pummelled his back and squirmed, but his brother was extremely strong and had a firm grip, not even feeling the frantic fists punching him.

Seto took him to the kitchen and dumped him unceremoniously onto a chair. "What on earth is wrong with you Mokuba?! I'm just playing!" Mokuba sat still, trembling slightly.

Seto went to the fridge and pulled out a beer for himself and a bottle of lemonade for Mokuba. "What do you fancy eating? Pizza, burger, spaghetti?"

"Spag.. Spaghetti," Mokuba stuttered out. Seto poured out the two drinks and handed Mokuba his glass containing the lemonade.

Unsuspecting, Mokuba drank it. After a few minutes, he began to feel dizzy. The drink had been laced with a powerful sedative. Mokuba would not wake up for several hours.

Seto handcuffed Mokuba's hands, gagged him and placed a hood over his head, just in case he woke up before they were ready.

When Seto went back upstairs, there was no sign of Anzu or Atem. He rolled his eyes when he heard the shower was running. There was no way he was going to wait for them to finish. Overriding the locking mechanism on the door, he walked in to find they were still busy ravishing each other in the shower.

When Seto saw them together, his eyes flashed dangerously and his lip curled in a snarl. For reasons he could not explain, he suddenly felt intense hatred towards this man – could it be that stupid human emotion known as jealousy?!

When he realised they were being watched, Atem looked up over Anzu's shoulder and met Seto's vicious glare with one of his own. His eyes flashed intense crimson and he snarled protectively of his mate.

Anzu pushed him away. "Would you two idiots stop posturing! I'm not a piece of meat for you two to fight over. You will both get your turn." An evil smirk crossed her face. "Or you can always join us Seto?"

"Hmph! We don't have time for that!" Seto snapped angrily, "Hurry up, we need to discuss the ritual for my ascension." He turned and stomped away.

The pair reluctantly dried off, got dressed and followed him.

"And what happens to us during this ritual?" Atem growled.

"You are to ascend with me. Each of us will need to make a sacrifice. If the shadows are happy I will become their new leader; their reincarnated Demon God! And you two will sit at my side as my priest and priestess." He had no intention of letting these two fools live. When he reached his new form he would devour them both and absorb both their demon, and human souls to become even stronger.

His face was twisted and evil. "Together, we will cover the world in darkness and feast on humanity!"

"Who will be our three sacrifices?" Anzu enquired with glee.

"I think you know," Seto sneered. "Who does your host love more than anyone else in this world? Their blood must be spilled in the sacrificial chamber as part of the ritual."

"Where is this sacrificial chamber? I thought it was supposed to be in Egypt!" Anzu wondered.

"The original birth place of Zorc was Egypt, but it is too risky to try and get there unchallenged, so I have a better plan. My host owns an Island about fifteen miles off the coast of Japan. He had intended to build a school there but I think it will be perfect as the birthplace of the new Zorc."

"And how do you do this without all of the Millennium items?" Atem enquired.

"I am confident the remaining Millennium items will come to us. Ishizu will do whatever she can to ensure we do not succeed in completing the ritual. I know that she has the Tauk, and I have a suspicion that you know who has the Ring and the Pendant." He levelled his glare at Atem.

"Yugi has the Puzzle, Mahado has the Ring." Atem folded his arms in a superior fashion and smirked arrogantly.

"I thought only a King can wield the puzzle! How did that little brat get his hands on it?" Seto snapped viciously.

"The Puzzle also answers to me," Atem stated, continuing to goad him by conveying an air of superiority. He could see Seto almost shake with rage.

"Just because you are the spawn of the Pharaoh who ended my Master's reign, it does not give you the right to pretend to be a King! You are worthless and will answer to me!"

"The Pharaoh is my father and I will not deny my right to be King! Maybe it is you who should answer to me!" Atem stood as tall as he could and faced him. Even at his full height he was dwarfed by Seto, but that did not deter him.

Seto reached forward and clasped Atem's throat. "I should kill you!"

Atem knocked his hand away. "And what good will that do you? Be thankful I am on your side and not your enemy. I can deal with my brother, he will offer little resistance when I capture him. Then the Puzzle will be... ours." He carefully chose not to say 'Mine' for rear of angering Seto so much that he _did_ kill him. Anzu pushed between them and shoved them both apart.

"You two are pathetic. Maybe you should listen to your Queen" Both males snarled at her. Their behaviour was slowly becoming less human and more demonic.

"We shall see which of us makes you his Queen!" Seto snorted dismissively. "Be careful Yugi doesn't capture you! The Puzzle is the most powerful of all the items."

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. Yugi doesn't have a clue how to use the Puzzle properly. I also have a plan that will ensure both Ishizu and Mahado bring their items to us. The fools probably won't even guess they are walking into a trap!"

"When do we begin?" Anzu wondered, "I can't wait to get my hands on Yugi again." She ran her hand over her stomach and down her thigh and shivered.

"You are not to touch him before we are ready to begin the ritual, is that clear?" Seto glared at her.

"Shame," she pouted and wined in a little girls voice. "I was looking forward to playing with him."

"If Anzu wants Yugi for her sacrifice then I will choose Mana as mine," Atem decided. "Who will yours be Kaiba?"

"That is easy. The only person my pathetic host cares about, apart from himself, is Mokuba. It will torture him to know that I am choosing his little brother." It was said with a cruel satisfaction that made both Atem and Anzu shiver with delight.

Seto cracked out his neck joints and rolled his shoulders. It would feel good to finally grow out of the confines of this human body.

* * *

 **Poor Mokuba has been kidnapped! But he might have some company soon.**

 **It all kicks off in the next chapter.**

 **Please review.**


	32. Chapter 32

Ugh! We are having some horrible weather. It was my birthday on the 20th June and it poured hard with rain all day! Typical British summer! Cold, wet and windy.

Anyway, enough moaning about the weather and on with the story. Not too many warnings this time, just the odd swear word.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.

* * *

Broken Dreams

Chapter 32 Kidnapped

Saturday's were usually busy in the salon and after already taking Friday afternoon off sick, Mana could not really get away with taking yet another day off – her employer was already annoyed with her for having quite a lot of time off lately! So with the appointment book full, Mana was obliged to go to work and try to act as if everything in her life was normal!

Mana had been non-stop all day and was busy shampooing a clients hair when Atem walked into the salon. Mana suddenly spotted him out of the corner of her eye, smiling and chatting to her boss Kiyoki, at the desk. A feeling of panic caused her to lose concentration.

A moment later, she was brought back to the task in hand when she heard a spluttering sound- "What on earth are you doing?" The woman who's hair she was washing pushed her arm away.

Turning her attention back to her client, Mana realised she was spraying water straight into the woman's face. "Sorry! Sorry!" She shrieked.

Atem looked over and waved, smiling at her with that adorable, slightly amused look he always used when she did something silly– _Typical Mana!_

Mana's boss tut tutted when she noticed that the rather dashing young man who had just walked in, seemed to be causing Mana to lose focus. She was not too happy about her staff bringing their relationships into the workplace and gestured impatiently at Mana to deal with him quickly, while she took over rinsing out the client's hair.

Mana scurried over to Atem. "What are you doing here?! Please don't hurt these people... Let me call Mahado so that we can help you," she asked shakily.

"Oh! Don't worry, I don't need any help! And I'm not here to cause trouble Mana. My hair needs cutting!" He grinned at her cheekily.

"Y.. You should really make an appointment."

"Sorry, but I was just hoping... that maybe we can make up! I'm sorry for what I did..." He pouted at her apologetically and her heart was melted by his puppy dog eyes. Was he really free of the demon's control?! It was getting late in the afternoon and apart from the client she had just nearly drowned, she had no one else booked in. She decided that squeezing him in would give her a chance to see if he really was telling the truth about being sorry.

"Well, maybe I can fit you in now, before I go home."

"Great! Thanks Mana!" He sat down and she wrapped a gown around his shoulders and fastened it at the neck. As she fastened the velcro, her fingers touched the nape of his neck and she could not resist letting them linger– she loved that cute little bit where his hairline met his neck.

He felt her fingers tickle the fine, stray hairs that were growing on his neck and he shivered slightly in response. His reaction gave Mana hope.

She gently ran her fingers through his soft but thick, strong hair, and then started to comb through it with her scissors poised. "Your hair is not easy to cut, so don't blame me if you leave here looking like you have been hacked at with hedge clippers!" She tried to keep her voice even.

"I trust you," he winked. Mana noticed how the corner of his mouth turned up in a slight smirk– adorable. "How much do you want off?" _Concentrate Mana!_ She took a deep breath to steady her emotions.

"It's getting pretty long– about an inch. Are you still angry at me over the other night?" The question hit a nerve and she almost snipped his ear with the scissors.

"A little. You frighted me," she admitted.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to, I just... was not myself."

"And are you yourself now?"

"Of course! I'm fine. But I guess it will take a while to convince you. How about I take you for something to eat after work? Make it up to you." Mana desperately wanted to believe him, but Mahado's words rang in her ears – _The demon is clever and manipulative._

"No! If it's okay, I would like to take a break for a week or two. I need to think about where we go from here. I'm not breaking up with you! It's just.. well, you hurt me and I need some space. And.. someone is already meeting me from work to ensure I get home safely."

"Oh! I understand. Who's meeting you?"

"A friend. No one you know." She hated lying.

They were awkwardly silent as she finished cutting his hair. He nodded that he was happy and got up, shaking off the loose hair clippings. He paid her at the till and turned to leave.

"Where are you staying?" Mana suddenly remembered to ask. "So I know where to reach you when I'm ready."

"Lets just say... I'm staying with a friend, eh! I will be in touch again soon." He winked at her and casually walked out.

Anzu was waiting in the parked car, just around the corner from the salon. He got in and cursed angrily.

"I'm guessing she didn't fall for your charm then?!" Anzu sniggered.

"She's wary of me. We need another strategy. She said someone is meeting her after work. I would guess it's Mahado. He is probably nervous about leaving her to get home on her own in case I go after her!"

"If he is meeting her, it could be our chance to get the ring!"

"I don't know... I am worried about challenging Mahado. He is very powerful- too powerful for us to deal with."

"Don't be a coward. I'm not afraid of him," she snorted dismissively.

"I am no coward," he growled. "But I do have enough common sense to know that going against two powerful mages at the same time would be suicide. We need to come up with a plan that involves the element of surprise!"

"That could work! But how do you intend to surprise them?!"

"We watch with caution and wait for our chance. Mahado may be using the ring to look for us, if that is the case, we will need to come up with another way to attack them."

Five minutes later, a bus pulled up and a figure got off. He waited at the pedestrian crossing, then hurried across the road and into the hairdressers. It had started to rain and the figure was wearing a coat with the hood up, but both Anzu and Atem recognised the gait and stature of the person immediately. "Yugi!" They both exclaimed at the same time.

"Well, well! It seems the odds are in our favour after all!" Atem grinned.

With the salon now closing, Yugi had arrived just in time to see Mana home safely. "Sorry I'm a bit late. I was talking on the phone to Mahado and missed the earlier bus. Seto Kaiba arrived back in Domino this morning! Mahado wants everyone to meet at your house to discuss our next move."

"Oh!" Mana nodded and bit her bottom lip thoughtfully. "I had a visit from Yami about half an hour ago. He popped in for a hair cut and said he wanted to make it up to me after the other night!"

"No way! What was he like? You should have called me immediately!" His brother's visit was another worrying development.

"There wasn't time and I didn't want to risk him hurting anyone so I tried to be diplomatic. But he seemed like... like Prince! He asked me to go for a meal with him but I said I needed some space for a week or two."

"Okay, well you did the right thing. They must be planning something! We should be careful and stay in the main public areas and keep away from dark side streets. I will check that he is not hiding outside somewhere, waiting to spring a trap."

They went outside and looked around. It was dark and the rain as getting heavier. "I can't see anyone suspicious. I think we will be safe, there's too many people around for them to try anything," Yugi said, as they dashed to the bus stop.

They didn't see the little red car parked in the side turning.

"We can't grab them, there's too many people around! What shall we do?" Anzu asked.

"The bus from here stops on the opposite side of the park to where Mana lives. They will either have to walk around the park or through it. The exit on the north side of the park is the best place to hide and wait for them as they have to go right past it."

After a few minutes the bus arrived and Yugi and Mana got on.

Driving away from the kerb, Atem followed, with Anzu in the passenger seat. When the bus stopped at the next stop, they passed the bus and carried on towards Mana's home. They parked the car by the north entrance to the park, just around the corner from the road where Mana's house was situated, and waited.

Yugi had not realised that the closest bus stop to Mana's house was near the south entrance to the park. He was nervous, but Mana did not seem quite so concerned. Two other people got off with them but scurried off in a different direction.

"Ugh! This weather's awful," Mana grumbled, opening up her umbrella and battling with it in the gusty wind. Yugi agreed, zipping his coat up but leaving it open just enough that he could reach inside for the Puzzle if need be.

With the wind gusting the heavy rain into their faces, the pair huddled up under the umbrella and tried to keep it facing into the wind so that it would not blow inside out.

"Through the park, is quicker," Mana said.

"But more dangerous."

"How can you be sure they followed us?!"

"I don't know for sure. But I am pretty sure they are up to something! I don't want to take any chances. Come on, we shouldn't hang around."

The wind made holding the umbrella rather difficult. To make walking together easier, Yugi put one arm around Mana's shoulder and placed his other hand over the hand she was holding the umbrella with.

It was generally a quiet neighbourhood anyway, but because the weather was nasty, there was no one else around at all – not even the usual dog walkers! Feeling vulnerable, they scurried along as quickly as they could.

"They're coming!" Atem informed Anzu, running back from the main road. "And they're looking a bit too friendly for my liking," he growled, jealousy building.

He and Anzu crept behind some bushes, just inside the entrance to the park, to wait for their prey to walk past. Even on a dark night in torrential rain, their night vision was still good enough that they could see them coming from quite a distance.

"They're holding hands! How dare they!" Anzu hissed, poised to strike.

Yugi and Mana were taken by surprise when Atem jumped out and stood in front of them. "Well, well, Yugi and Mana... Together! You don't look very pleased to see me!" He was enjoying the terrified, startled look on their faces. "No, I guess not if you are already screwing my girlfriend!" The smirk on his face was quite evil.

"I'm not! We're not!" Yugi's hands were chilled and he was trying to refrain from trembling in fear as he tried to grasp the Millennium Puzzle. _Damn these cold shaking hands!_ He couldn't get hold of the zip on his coat.

Atem took a step towards them. As he advanced on them they took a step backwards, straight into Anzu. "Hello lover!" Anzu moved incredibly fast and grabbed Yugi in an arm lock to prevent him grasping the Puzzle. "Naughty boy! I won't let you use the Puzzle!" She breathed huskily into his ear and started nuzzling his neck.

"Anzu! No feeding! We need them both unharmed, remember!"

"Grrrr," she snarled reluctantly doing as she was told.

Yugi tried to struggle but was shocked at how strong she was. He would have been even more afraid if he had seen her face.

His phone suddenly rang. Anzu reached into his coat pocket and pulled it out. "Mahado!" She snorted derisively, dropping it onto the floor and crushing it under her heel. "Oops! I think you need a new phone," she sneered.

Yugi forgot his fear and started to become angry. Anzu felt his muscles tense as his posture stiffen as he clenched his fists. For a brief moment, she felt aroused.

Trying to control his feeling of panic and anger, Yugi started to focus his mind on the Puzzle, still tucked inside his coat, in the hope that it might repel her. It started to grow warm, but before he could harness its power, a damp cloth soaked in chloroform was placed over his nose and mouth and he lost consciousness.

While Anzu was dealing with Yugi, Atem grabbed Mana and quickly neutralised her from using her heka, by placing a bag over her head. The smell of chloroform soon knocked her out as well.

No one was around to notice as they were bundled onto the back seat of the car and driven to the Kaiba mansion.

::::::::::::

"Where are they?!" Mahado fretted. He had asked everyone to be here by seven and it was one minute past! Mahado was a stickler for punctuality.

The only person to have arrived on time was Sugoroku, who had driven over immediately after closing the store.

"Yugi caught the bus at five fifty, just after he finished talking to you Mahado," Sugoroku confirmed. "The bus journey takes no longer than fifteen minutes. He messaged Mana to say he was on his way! I'm sure she would have waited for him. Perhaps she is running late at work?!"

"That is a possibility!" Ishizu tried ringing the salon but there was no answer, indicating that it was probably closed for the night. "I am sure they will be here soon." She touched the Tauk for any indication of Mana's immediate future but there was no reaction, making her feel uneasy.

There was no sign of Mokuba yet either. Mahado had warned him not to go back to the mansion but Mokuba had told them that Isono would be collecting him from his art class and that it would be perfectly safe at home with the staff around. He had tried ringing the mansion, but no one was answering the phone!

Jonouchi and Mai had also called to say they were running late, because Mai had been shopping on the way home from work and was now having a nice soak in the bath!

Was no one taking the danger seriously?!

They tried ringing both Mana and Yugi. Mana had left her phone on silent while she was at work and had forgotten to put it back on normal. Yugi didn't answer his either. It rang a few times and then went dead.

"I don't like this one bit. I think something has happened to them!" Mahado frowned

"Has the Tauk shown you anything?" Sugoroku asked.

"No! But I do have a bad feeling. I don't need the Tauk to tell me something is not right."

"I will chase Jonouchi and Mai to hurry up. As soon as they are here we can organise a search party," Mahado decided, dialling Jonouchi's number.

"Yeah! Honda's bike won't start in this wet weather, so we're just picking him up now and will be there in roughly ten," Jonouchi confirmed.

Suddenly, the Ring grew hot against Mahado's chest and all of the pointers shot out vertically as it reacted to the Puzzle being nearby. The fact that it had reacted so vigorously, meant that the Puzzle itself must have been activated. "Just hurry up and get here!" Mahado cut off the call before Jonouchi could answer and grimaced at the sensation that gripped his body as the Ring reacted. A moment later the pain was gone and the Ring deactivated.

At the same time, Ishizu took a deep breath at the tight feeling in her chest. "Something terrible has happened. I can feel it!" The Tauk glowed and she found herself gasping for breath and then collapsed to the floor.

"Ishizu!" Both men ran to her aid.

"Get her some water?!" Mahado ordered. Sugoroku nodded and went to the kitchen.

Jonouchi had been quite surprised by Mahado's abrupt manner during the phone call. It worried him that something was going on and he was not there to help. He put his foot on the gas.

"Whoa! Asshole!" Jonouchi hammered on the horn and swerved to avoid the small red car that was being driven much too fast and had pulled out in front of him.

"Sheesh.. some people need to learn how to drive," Mai's knuckles turned white as she gripped the seat in response to the near collision.

"Moron!" Honda yelled even though the driver could not hear him and had sped off.

As he cradled Ishizu, Mahado pondered over what had just occurred. Mere seconds after the Ring had suddenly reacted, it had gone cold again and the pointers dropped. Mahado frowned. It was as though the Puzzle was suddenly there and then _not_ there!

When Sugoroku returned, Ishizu was just regaining consciousness. He handed her the water.

"Thank you," she muttered. "I think I sensed what Mana may have been experiencing. It felt like some sort of bag was placed over my head, or rather Mana's head, containing a chemical that rendered her unconscious."

"What about my Yugi?!" Sugoroku fretted.

"I don't know. I cannot see the future of someone who is in possession of an item.. Sorry."

"We should investigate, but with caution. It might be a trap. I just hope they have not been harmed." As he grabbed his coat and shoes, Mahado's heart was pounding with the fear of what he might find.

"You two stay here." Carefully, he opened the front door.

"No! I am fine now," Ishizu protested.

"We should stick together," Sugoroku added.

They exited the house to see Jonouchi stopping his old car on the driveway.

Mahado rushed over to greet them as they got out of the car. "We just sensed the Millennium Puzzle nearby. Have you seen Yugi or Mana?!"

"All we've seen are idiots that can't drive!" Mai huffed.

"Yeah, some damn moron pulled right out in front of us. If it weren't for my superb driving skills I would of hit em!" Jonouchi gathered himself and looked around. "Where's Yugi? I thought he was meant to be here!"

"And what about Mana and Mokuba?!" Mai gasped.

Mahado quickly explained that Yugi and Mana had not come home and that Mokuba had foolishly gone back to the mansion and had not been in touch since lunch time.

The news about Yugi and Mana hit Jonouchi like a ton of bricks. He went ballistic and wanted to go charging off to confront Kaiba, without any real plan. All he needed was his fists and he would fix that bastard Kaiba.

Honda was struggling to restrain him so Mahado placed a restraining spell on him.

"What have ya done to me?! Lemme go." He squirmed but could not break free of the Spellbinding Circle

"Don't be so stupid! You can't go charging off on your own! You don't know what you will be fighting!" Mai scolded.

"I'm sorry Jonouchi but it is for your own protection. I will release you if you promise not to go charging off without us!" Mahado lectured. Reluctantly, Jonouchi agreed.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. I won't do nothin stupid." Mahado released the spell. "Man! How'd you do that anyway? I couldn't move a muscle with that fairy ring round me!"

"Jonouchi is right though. Standing around doing nothing is not helping to save anyone!" Honda complained. Mahado nodded.

"I agree. We should begin by checking the entrance to the park. That is roughly where I detected the Puzzle being activated, and where Ishizu's vision appeared to take place," he explained.

"Erm... What if?" Mai did not want to say it. She swallowed and looked pale.

"We find bodies," Mahado finished quietly for her. Everyone paled at the thought. "If anyone wishes to stay here while we search, that is fine. But we need to know what has happened to them." He swallowed, fearful of what they might find.

"It is okay." Ishizu placed a comforting hand on Mahado's arm. "I did not feel death in my vision. It is my belief they have either been kidnapped, or rendered unconscious and the Puzzle taken."

"Why are we still standing here then! We gotta find out!" Jonouchi was getting impatient again.

Luckily, the rain was easing off and it did not take long to find clues as to what had happened. Just outside the entrance to the park, they found Yugi's crushed phone and Mana's umbrella; that had been blown into a bush and had snagged on a branch, along with a small pad that had been dropped in a puddle. However, Mahado was still able to detect that it had been soaked in chloroform.

"They've been kidnapped," he growled.

Ishizu touched the Tauk and tried to picture what had happened after they were taken. The vision showed her a red car and the two demons. She gasped. "They were knocked unconscious using the chloroform and were driven away by Anzu and Yami in a small red car,"

"Damn! Shit! That was them what nearly hit us! We was that close to them!" Jonouchi kicked angrily at a branch that had fallen during the storm.

"Calm down Jonouchi! We need to figure out where they've taken them!" Mai put her arm around him. "I know you wish you had been there to help Yugi, but getting upset and angry won't help." He was hardly listening though.

"The apartment! We have to get there before they hurt them!" Jonouchi was ready to charge off without thinking, again, but Ishizu spoke out.

"No! I don't think they have taken them there. In my vision, the car drove onto the main road and headed that way," she pointed. "The red light district is in the opposite direction."

"Then what's in that direction?" Honda voiced.

Mahado held up the Ring and asked it to track where the Millennium Puzzle had gone. The ring pointed in roughly the direction Ishizu had suggested. "What is in that direction?"

"The Kaiba mansion!" Mai gasped.

::::::::::::

At last! After three thousand years of imprisonment, the demon was on the verge of being re-born.

Since the staff had all been dismissed, the mansion was eerily quiet.

Laid out before Seto, were the Scales, the Eye, the Ankh and the Rod. All he needed was the remaining three items, which he knew would come to him shortly. He carefully picked up each one and placed them in a holdall.

The demon had considered performing the ritual here, but it was not the right place. Although in its own grounds, the mansion did not feel right. He needed solitude in order to invoke the dark forces. And the whole area was far too densely populated. There was so much noise and toxic pollution! How these humans could survive in this environment they had created for themselves was a mystery.

From what the demon had learned since being re-awakened inside Seto's soul, humans had now infested the entire planet – there were billions of them. They had built vast cities and filled the air with poisonous gasses which were harmful to their health, but they did not seem to care and carried on regardless.

But despite their apparent scientific progress, they had not really changed since ancient times. They still had powerful leaders that continued to make rules for others to obey. They were still intolerant of other cultures and their beliefs, and fought each other with weapons far more destructive than anything their ancestors had used!

These modern weapons were a real threat to the demon, which was another reason to seek solitude. Immediately after the ascension, the demon would be vulnerable to attack and whilst it could survive spears, rocks and most magic, it would not be able to withstand a direct strike from a missile. So the plan was to contain the Shadow Realm on the island, within its own force field. As the Shadows gained strength, they would slowly extend around the planet, engulfing all living creatures and turning their souls into Shadow Ghouls. The Shadow Ghouls would act as a shield to prevent armies getting through that could destroy the newly re-incarnated Zorc.

The only thing keeping him waiting now were his two sidekicks, or minions, or whatever they were. The demon tended to share the same view as its host; allies were just there to use for your own personal advancement, and as soon as they were no longer of use, you got rid of them! Whilst it had been useful to have some help collecting the items and gathering souls, it had also been a hindrance. The Mazaki girl had been made into a demon he thought he could trust. Seducing her had been fun.

But Atem Mutou was dangerous and unreliable; a real threat to his superiority. Demon Seto had not intended for Anzu to take herself another mate – especially not the son of his original enemy. It was not in the demon's nature to feel nervous, but he did not trust Atem one bit and would be relieved when he had destroyed him and feasted on his soul.

With their two hostages bundled under a blanket on the back seat, Atem and Anzu pulled up to the main gates of the mansion. Atem opened the car window and reached out, entering the code into the keypad. The gate mechanism released and the gates swung open. He drove up the driveway to the front of the house and parked the car. Quickly and quietly, they carried the unconscious bodies up to the main doors and rang the doorbell. Seto Kaiba had seen them arrive on his monitor and was waiting.

"About time," he muttered sarcastically as he opened the door. "I was growing tired of waiting."

"Then why did you wait?" Atem challenged. Anzu stepped between the two posturing males.

"Because he can't begin the ritual without us, isn't that right honey?" She purred almost teasingly, poking Seto in the chest. Seto grunted.

"Don't imagine for one moment you are indispensable. I was waiting for the storm to pass so that I can fly the helicopter. Since the weather has now improved, we will leave immediately."

"Where is Mokuba?" Anzu wondered.

"Safely secured. Do you have the Pendant?" He lead them through to the drawing room.

"It's still round Yugi's neck." Atem could feel it pressing into the back of his shoulder through the layers of clothing, as he carried Yugi.

"Why is _he_ still wearing it?!" Seto seethed menacingly.

"Because I have not had the opportunity to remove it. He is not going to wake up so it is best left where it is for now!" The truth was, Atem was in conflict. The demon was afraid of the Puzzle and Atem's true soul was somehow able to convince his demon side, that it was safest to leave the Puzzle on Yugi... for now.

"Don't fuck this up Mutou!" Seto snorted. "Put the Pendant in the bag! That's an order." Seto turned his back and marched into the drawing room. Atem glared at the bag on the floor, smirked and ignored Seto's order.

Once in the drawing room, they saw that Mokuba was securely bound and gagged. The boy was now awake and glared at them through terrified eyes. He struggled in vain as Seto lifted him up over his shoulder and carried him out to the helicopter.

With their own sacrifices, Anzu and Atem followed.

"I have the bag containing the items," Atem held it in his free hand. Seto was none the wiser that it did not contain the Puzzle.

"What about Ishizu and Mahado? Don't we still need their items?" Anzu queried.

"They will come to us!" Seto stated knowingly.

"And if they don't?" Atem smirked.

"They will, trust me. The magician will not allow us to kill his precious sister." Seto gave Atem a smirk of his own.

With their cargo of sacrifices secured, the helicopter took off in the direction of a small, seemingly innocuous island, twenty five miles south of Domino Bay.

* * *

 **Thank you to everyone who reviewed. Sorry if any of your favourite characters are being threatened or ill treated.**

 **Please Review.**


	33. Chapter 33

The British weather continues to be dreadful. It's the end of June and I'm wearing leggings, warm socks, tee shirt and a cosy hoodie because it's soooo cold and miserable! I did a triathlon at the weekend which had a river swim. The day before we had torrential rain and thunder storms which churned up all the sea weed (It's a tidal river) It was like swimming in soup! We also had to start at five in the morning! Needless to say my feet were frozen on the bike ride and didn't thaw out until two miles into the run! Strangely enough, I really enjoyed it!

Anyway, on with the story. This chapter contains a bit of swearing and some cruelty to prisoners.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.

* * *

Broken Dreams

Chapter 33 The Island

A nervous tension filled Jonouchi's car as he drove himself, Honda and Mai to the Kaiba mansion, while Ishizu, Mahado and Sugoroku followed behind in their own car.

What would they find when they got there?

Mai gazed out of the passenger window deep in thought. Her liaison with Atem seemed such a long time ago– a different lifetime! It had been through Atem bringing him to the gym that day, that she had met Jonouchi, and she had grown fond of him and his friends. They had welcomed her into their group without judgement and called her their friend, despite her previous failings. It had made her feel loved and truly contented for the first time in her life! The old Mai probably would not have cared about any of this, but the Mai she had now become, was desperate to save them. Heck! She might even throw herself to the demon if it would save her friends! She was brought out of her **musings** by the sound of a helicopter flying over.

"Wow! That helicopter is flying a bit low!" Jonouchi tried to peer up through the windscreen as he drove. It did not even cross their minds that it was the Kaiba Copter which had only taken off five minutes previously. It was too dark to see the logo on the side.

"Probably the police chopper or something!" Honda guessed.

When they arrived at the gates to the Mansion, the place was in darkness and seemed oddly deserted. "Where is everyone?!" Mai wondered.

"How do we get in?" Jonouchi tried rattling the solid cast iron gates but they did not budge. He kicked the gate with his heel, in anger and frustration.

"Like this!" Mahado raised his staff and pointed it at the lock. "Stand back everybody!" A bolt of electricity shot from it and the lock burst open.

"And to think I thought it was just a fancy walking stick!" Mai attempted to jest, but it sounded humourless.

"Man, that's awesome! I wish I could do that magic stuff?!" Jonouchi gasped.

"Yeah! How _do_ you use magic?!" Honda added. "It would sure even the odds if we all knew how!"

"I'm afraid it takes natural talent and years of practice," Mahado stated with a shrug.

"Mahado! Tut tut. Boasting, and using your gift for breaking and entering." In the face of danger, a little attempt at humour was a necessary distraction to her nerves.

"We should proceed with caution..." The words died on Mahado's lips when Jonouchi and Honda took off at full speed along the gravel driveway.

They both skidded to a halt when they saw the red car that had almost collided with them at the junction earlier.

"That's the car that almost hit us!"

"They must be here! Let's kick some demon butt!" The pair bumped fists and continued up to the house.

Reaching the door Jonouchi began thumping it. "Oi! Let us in Kaiba ya big jerk! We know what you're up to and we ain't gonna let you get away with it!" There was no movement or response from inside the mansion.

As soon as they reached the house, Mai slapped Jonouchi. "Full marks for stealth and surprise, you idiots!"

"My turn to show you _my_ magic," Honda smirked. "Stand back everybody." He raised his leg and went to ram his foot hard against the door. As he did so the door opened causing him to fly in through the opening straight into a rather horrified Isono. The pair landed in a heap on the floor.

"Where's Kaiba you jerk?!" Jonouchi yelled at the bodyguard.

Once Isono and Honda had picked themselves up off the floor the man became defensive. "I should ask you what you're doing breaking and entering?" He reached for his gun and waved it at them. "Now explain yourselves. What have you done with Mister Kaiba and Mokuba?!"

Ishizu went to step forward but he waved the gun. "Get back! There's something weird going on and I think you lot are responsible."

"If you would let us explain," Ishizu said quietly.

"Yeah, we ain't done nothing to Mokuba, it's Kaiba you need to talk to, he's a demon, he's got..." Jonouchi shouted angrily but before he could continue Mai grabbed him and clamped her hand over his mouth.

"Will you shut up and let Ishizu deal with it," she growled.

"Thank you Mai." Ishizu looked at Jonouchi disapprovingly. She understood he was anxious about his friends but his aggressive, impulsive approach would not get them anywhere. "We are very concerned for Mokuba's safety. Seto Kaiba is not himself and needs our help. We also believe that Anzu and Yami are with him. They have also kidnapped Yugi and Mahado's sister, Mana. Can you help us find them?"

Isono lowered the gun slightly. "Now that you mention it, Mister Kaiba has been behaving strangely. He even gave all the staff the weekend off! I don't like leaving the mansion's security unattended so I came back to check everything was okay. Just as I arrived, I saw the helicopter take off. Mister Kaiba would never go away and leave the mansion empty!"

"Do you mind if we search for clues?" Ishizu smiled disarmingly.

"Clues for what? You break in and tell me Mister Kaiba kidnapped your friends, and expect me to just let you in!"

"In case you haven't noticed, you're outnumbered buddy, so you better let us in! We ain't got time to argue, our friends lives are in danger!" Jonouchi threatened.

"I hate to agree with Jonouchi, but he is right. Now I can use force or you can cooperate and help us find your boss," Mahado added.

"Please, I implore you to help us," Ishizu frowned. "And will you please stop waving that gun about? Someone might get hurt!"

Isono smarted slightly at being told off in such a way, but lowered the gun. "Okay, but before I let you look around – what's this about a demon and kidnapping?"

"Since visiting Egypt, Seto Kaiba has not been himself. He has been possessed by an evil entity which was once part of an ancient demon. This demon is using Seto and also our friends, in an attempt to be re-born. If successful, the lives of every living creature on this planet will be in danger. We are the only people who know how to stop this demon." Ishiszu studied Isono as the cogs in his brain tried to process what she had just said.

"I don't know if I believe you, it all sounds too far fetched. Why didn't you alert the authorities?!"

"Do you think they would believe us if we told them that a three thousand year old demon was about to devour everyone?!" Isono's face twitched as he took in what Ishizu was saying. "No! I doubt they would," she finished.

"Okay... I don't believe you so I guess the authorities wouldn't either. But if you say Mister Kaiba and Mokuba are in danger then you may search, but under my supervision. What is it you're looking for?"

"Perhaps we can start by visiting Seto Kaiba's private quarters. It might hold clues as to where he's gone."

"That I cannot permit. No one is allowed in his room without his permission."

"Look buster!" Mai rolled her eyes angrily. "You gonna let us help your boss or not?! Because while were all standing here arguing, the demon might be torturing our friends!"

With a sigh, Isono conceded and gestured for them to follow him. Right now, he was out numbered. They were also right about Seto Kaiba not being himself. Something was seriously wrong and he wanted to get to the bottom of it.

Isono lead them through the large entrance hall, past the painting of The Blue Eyes White Dragon and up the stairs leading to Seto's private quarters. There were more pictures of the dragon on the landing. They stopped in front of a beautiful sculpture of her with wings spread majestically.

"He loves that dragon as much as he loves Mokuba! Maybe even more!" Jonouchi snorted in amusement.

"This dragon could be our key to victory! I can sense a great power coming from her. She is a mythical creature of pure light and may be able to defeat the evil that is destroying Seto's soul. If he loves her as much as you say then we might be able to save him." She gently ran her hand over the dragon's wing as she spoke.

"How can you tell it's a she?!" Jonouchi wondered.

"Because she was once a living person who meant a great deal to Seto in a previous life," she said in a mysterious tone.

"You can get all that from a statue?!" Honda scratched his head in bewilderment. Things just kept getting weirder.

"Of course not! I acquired this knowledge from teachings passed down by my ancestors. Although, I can sense that she is special," Ishizu added.

Isono kept quiet. He had always thought his employer's attraction to the Blue Eyes White Dragon strange but it was not his place to query or pass judgement. He valued his job!

"His private rooms are this way." He took them into a room which was much darker than it would normally be due to blackout blinds covering the windows.

"Man, this is like a creepy cave! " Honda crept inside the room.

Not feeling comfortable in the dark, Jonouchi immediately switched the light on and then ran over to the blackout blinds and opened them, allowing in the small amount of moonlight that was now peering out from behind the clouds.

They all gasped at the sight of a pentagram etched on the pale blue carpet in bright red spray paint.

"Do you think he was originally planning to do the ritual here? I wonder why he changed his mind." Sugoroku was careful not to step inside the pentagram. "Stop!" He grabbed Isono by the sleeve of his blazer when he went to step onto the design. "We do not know if it has been hexed. It would be unwise to find out."

"Will I be a hex or whatever?!" Jonouchi went pale and gulped. "Only I must have just run straight over it."

"Well, you didn't stop on it so I think you are safe Jonouchi," Sugoroku answered. "But just think before you act in future."

"Sugoroku is right. We should be careful. This could have been left as a trap! We need to find out where they have gone." Mahado held out the Ring, but it became agitated by the pentagram. "Well, that's not good!" Mahado turned to Isono for answers. "You say you saw the helicopter take off. It flew right over us as we drove here! Do you know where they might have gone?"

Mahado carefully walked around the pentagram and over to where Jonouchi was now sat in the executive chair behind the desk, busily trying to force open the locked drawer with a letter opener. He noticed that a map of Japan had been pinned up on the wall adjacent to the desk.

"What is this?" Mahado pointed to where a circle had been drawn in red pen, around a small Pacific Island.

"Mister Kaiba purchased an Island off the coast about six months ago. He was waiting for planning permission to build a school there. It is uninhabited at the moment. No one would be able to interfere if he went there," Isono explained.

"I am surprised! I thought he would choose to go back to Egypt and perform the ritual in the chamber where the Millennium items were originally forged!" Ishizu was slightly confused.

"I think he wants to get this done without raising any suspicion. Thanks to terrorist threats, security is tighter than ever and flying out of Japan with three hostages might pose a bit of a problem," Sugoroku reasoned.

"Just because the items were forged in Egypt, does not mean the demon cannot be raised elsewhere," Mahado justified. "I think he knew we would come here and I think he left this here for us to find. He wants to lure us..." He was interrupted by Jonouchi's sudden outburst.

"Hey look what I found!" He had succeed in opening the desk drawer and was holding Kaiba's Duel Monsters deck. He picked the Blue Eyes White Dragon Cards from the top of the deck. "We will take these with us, they might be useful."

"Yes, nice work Jonouchi," Sugoroku congratulated.

Mai noticed several sheets of paper also in the drawer. "I think I have found something else!" She held up several sketches of pentagram designs. The one that caught their attention was far more detailed than the rest. In the centre was a sketch of the the upside down pyramid pendant that Yugi had been wearing. In the five points of the diagram, were the head, arms and legs of a horned demon. The remaining Millennium items were depicted on each of the five points, while the eye was placed on the demon's forehead.

"It is a more detailed design than the one on the bedroom floor! This must be the demon he wishes to become. It also depicts where on the pentagram he will place the Millennium items. However, he does not have all of the items," Ishizu explained.

"Maybe he doesn't need all of them," Sugoroku suggested.

"Nah... He knows Mahado and Ishizu will go after him because he has Yugi and Mana," Jonouchi guessed.

"That must be why he kidnapped Yugi and Mana and probably Mokuba too! He wants us to go after him." Mai gasped.

"Then we must find them before he has chance to sacrifice them!" Sugoroku said firmly.

"But we will be walking into a trap! We can't take the last two items!" Mai tried to emphasise.

"We have no choice," Mahado explained. "We need the items to help us fight him. Without them we stand little chance."

"You're saying he plans to sacrifice his own brother to become some sort of hideous monster?!" Isono was having trouble believing such nonsense. "How is that even possible? He loves Mokuba! He would never hurt him!"

"You gotta get this into your head, he ain't the Kaiba you know any more. He is a demon," Jonouchi stated firmly.

"I still don't believe demons exist.. There's got to be a more logical reason for all this!" Isono protested. It still seemed too improbable.

Everyone shook their heads. "I'm afraid demons are very real," Mahado said. "I will understand if you are afraid and don't wish to come with us, but can you please tell us how we can get to this island?"

Isono's back straightened. "I am not afraid! Mr. Kaiba keeps a boat in the harbour, I can get us there on that. It will take a bit longer than by helicopter but since Mister Kaiba has taken the helicopter already, its our only way."

They all piled into a large black Isuzu Trooper and Isono drove them as quickly as possible to Domino Port.

Sat in the back of the Isuzu Trooper, Jonouchi studied the drawing of Kaiba's ascension.

"Why would he wanna look that pig ugly?!" He sneered in disgust at the horned beast, with red slits for eyes and a large mouth with vicious looking serrated teeth.

"I don't get it! If you use the the Millennium items to keep the world safe, how come he wants to use them to turn himself into that grotesque thing and destroy the world?" Mai looked to Mahado or Ishizu for an answer. It was Mahado who answered her.

"Because the items were created using shadow alchemy. They hold both good and evil and only those with a strong heart can wield them without becoming influenced by their darkness. In the wrong hands they are capable of wreaking havoc upon this world," he explained.

"All that stands between that beast and world destruction, is our little band of demon hunters. We have to destroy this evil demon once and for all, and save my grandsons, Mana, Anzu and the Kaiba brothers," Sugoroku stated defiantly.

"Yeah! Now that's what I call fighting talk Gramps," Jonouchi pumped his fist. "Lets kill this thing."

"Why does everything always have to have an evil side," Mai sighed.

Everyone nodded nervously in agreement with her.

::::::::::::

When Yugi started to come round, everything was dark. He quickly realised that he was gagged, blindfolded and his hands and feet were tightly bound behind his back. He was laying on a hard metallic floor and he could hear the sounds of rotor blades churning through the air.

Although he was disorientated, he was aware enough to work out that he was inside a flying helicopter. He tried to speak in the hope that Mana was close by but all he could make was a muffled noise. And when he attempted to sit up, he found that the cuffs on his hands were fixed to a metal structure and he could not move.

In response to his muffled noise, he heard Mokuba let out a frightened whimper.

He needed to work out where they were being taken and how to escape. Why Anzu and Yami had kidnapped them, he was unsure. The only reason he could think of for why they had not been killed already, was that they were to either be used in some sort of sacrifice, or were being used as bait to lure Mahado and Ishizu to come and rescue them. But where were they being taken? It could not be somewhere too far away, otherwise Mahado might not find them!

When the helicopter landed, the cuffs on his wrists were roughly unlocked from the metal fixing and he was hauled up and thrown over someone's shoulder. From the feel of the person, he knew it was his brother. He could feel the puzzle inside his jacket digging into his ribcage an wondered if his brother could also feel it pressing info his shoulder blade. The Puzzle was growing warm and he could feel it vibrate slightly as if trying to react. Yugi attempted to tap into its power, but his mind was to cloudy and he was in too much of a panic to concentrate properly.

Atem almost dropped Yugi when he felt a painful pulse from under Yugi's jacket. Thankfully, the pulse was weak and unable to burn him through the layers of clothing. He shifted Yugi slightly, so that the puzzle wasn't pressing into him quite as much. Somehow they needed to get the puzzle off Yugi so they could use it for the ritual, but as the most powerful of the items it seemed that it was trying to protect its wielder.

When Atem went to put him down, Yugi tried to squirm free and made a futile attempt to kick his bound feet at his brother but Atem caught his legs and upended him throwing him against the wall. Yugi let out a pained, muffled moan when he landed hard on his hip and shoulder.

"Don't make this hard for yourself Yugi," he snarled.

Yugi heard someone else make a desperate crying sound. It sounded like Mana. He wanted to call out to offer her some support but with the tape over his mouth he could not speak. Mokuba was also nearby, he could hear the boy sobbing.

He heard a voice that sort of sounded like Kaiba but was much more sinister and demonic.

"You should feel honoured Mokuba, your blood and soul will be my offering. I will ascend to become a God; free of this weak human vessel. I will be the immortal ruler of this world and your blood will help nourish me." Yugi heard both Mokuba and Mana let out a muffled sobs in response.

Yugi lay on his side and pulled his knees up towards his chest. Wherever they were it was warm. He could feel himself sweating in the tee shirt, sweater and jacket he was wearing.

"Why didn't you get the Puzzle off him like I asked Yami.. Get it now?!" He heard Kaiba snarl.

"I'll get it!" It was Anzu.

He felt a hand on his thigh. He knew that touch. "Anzu," he attempted to say through the gag. She ran her hand over his hip and then inside his jacket to the small of his back and then round to his abdomen. "Oh dear Yugi, you feel a little hot," she said mockingly. "Maybe I should strip you naked!"

"Anzu!" Kaiba snapped, "We haven't brought him here for you to indulge. Just get the fucking puzzle off him!"

She snarled and unzipped Yugi's jacket. He was actually quite relieved as it let out some of the heat.

Unzipping his jacket allowed the puzzle to be revealed. It glowed when Anzu touched it and she was thrown backwards. She landed on her butt and started swearing.

Kaiba rolled his eyes. "Yami, you get it! But don't be an idiot and touch it while he is wearing it, otherwise he will tap into it's power to repel you!"

Atem tentatively reached out to take it. Previously it had accepted him, but in his current state he wasn't sure if it might attack him. Just as he was about to touch it the eye lit up and sent out a shock that hit him in the chest, knocking him back. For a moment he felt the demon lose its control over him. He fell too his knees and cradled his head in his hands. He had to stop the ritual and save everyone, but his freedom was only fleeting, within seconds the demon wrestled control again. He got up and shook his head. He rubbed his hand over his chest and took a deep breath. His chest was throbbing and numb where the Puzzle had hit. "Shit!" He cursed.

"Are you stupid? I said don't touch it!" Kaiba spat.

Atem carefully edged round behind Yugi, grabbing him by his collar and hauling him forward so he could grab the rope from the back of his neck and lift it over his head. He held it up with a triumphant grin.

"Good, now go and put it with the other items until we are ready to start the ritual," Seto ordered.

Holding the puzzle by the rope and at arms length, Atem left the basement and went upstairs to the large, almost empty room where they would be performing the ritual.

Carefully, he placed the Puzzle on the table next to the Eye, Rod, Ankh and Scales. He was just about to turn and walk away when the eye in the centre of the Puzzle caught his attention. It was glowing and sending out a soft hum that hurt his head and burned his chest. Writhing in agony, he fell to the floor.

After a few moments the pain subsided and he staggered to his feet.

Leaving the Millennium items on the alter as Seto requested, Atem went back downstairs and rejoined them in the basement where the hostages were being held.

"Are we leaving them here like this until we begin the ritual?" He asked Seto, when he noticed that they were still blindfolded, gagged and tightly bound.

"Yes! The ritual will not begin until midnight tonight and I don't want to risk them trying to escape."

"We should at least remove their gags and give them water. And what if they need the toilet? We can't have them soiling themselves."

"Why do you care all of a sudden Yami?" Anzu sidled up to him and rubbed circles on his chest. "The Puzzle didn't do anything to you, did it?"

His posture stiffened and he snorted. "As if it could! We need them to be in the best condition possible for the ritual and I don't fancy washing them and mopping up their piss! Do you?"

She wrinkled her nose. "Of course not!"

"He has a point. Anzu, go and get them a bucket or something. Yami, you sort out their hands and remove the gags but leave them blindfolded."

Atem started with Yugi. He undid the handcuffs on his wrists and moved his hands round to his front of his body and snapped the cuffs back in place. He then ripped the gaffer tape from Yugi's mouth. Yugi let out a hiss of pain at the sensation of the adhesive being torn from the tender skin on his lips.

Atem glanced over his shoulder to see that Seto had his back to him and was adjusting Mokuba's bindings. He took the opportunity to quickly loosen and lift up Yugi's blindfold. Yugi blinked rapidly as the bright artificial light in the room hurt his eyes, but confusion as to why the blindfold had been lifted up made him focus on his brother's face. Atem winked and Yugi noticed that his brother's eyes were back to their soft plumb and violet. The dangerous red that he had seen in his brother's eyes last time was gone. Yugi had to stop himself from letting out a yelp of surprise.

"I will get us out of this," he mouthed. He then put the blindfold back in place and roughly pushed Yugi back down; partly for show and partly because Yugi had sat up straight and no longer looked as though he had lost all hope of being saved.

Atem then moved to Mana, but could not send her the same message of hope because Anzu had returned with a bucket and along with Seto was standing over him.

"We must prepare ourselves for the ritual," Seto barked.

Atem wasn't looking forward to what that might entail. Instead, he thought about what had just happened when he took the Puzzle upstairs:

After the eye on the Puzzle had started glowing, he had felt compelled to look deep into its centre. Something from inside the Puzzle had projected itself onto his forehead. He had felt intense pain and for a moment he had blacked out, but when he came round he could have sworn there was another presence in his mind as well as the demon's. And it was helping his soul gain enough strength to fight the demon's hold over him. He did not know how strong his resistance was, but it felt tenuous and it was requiring all of his own mental strength to keep the demon from regaining its control.

They had two hours to kill before midnight when the ritual could begin. Anzu wanted to have some fun, but Seto was not in the mood. He was becoming twitchy and foul tempered as the ascension drew closer. He could already feel the organs in his body starting to change.

"Yami..." she purred seductively. "Surely you want to have a little bit of fun while we're still in these bodies. Sex is the one thing I will miss when I'm a Goddess of the Shadows."

He pushed her away. "Is that all you can think about?!" He gave her the best demonic snarl he could. "Leave me! I want to be alone." He decided that the best place to stay for now would be to sit in the corner of the room where the ritual would take place. He would be near the items and could keep an eye on Seto who was currently sitting in front of their make shift alter, facing the pentagram with his eyes closed in what appeared to be a meditative state.

Anzu decided to go and pay a visit to the prisoners instead.

Yugi was sitting on the floor with his back resting against the wall and his cuffed hands in his lap. He couldn't move far because the cuffs were attached to a chain that was bolted to a pipe coming up through the floor and into one end of the radiator.

"Mana, Mokuba. Can you hear me?" He wanted to know how close to him the were,

"Yes," they both answered.

"Can you reach me? You sound close." Mana enquired from the opposite end of the radiator.

"I'm over here!" Mokuba called from the other side of the room, where he had been cuffed to the handle on a heavy chest of drawers.

"Screw this, I'm removing my blindfold," Yugi growled. Reaching up, he tried to get at the tight knot at the back of the hood that was over his head, but found that the cuffs holding his hands together didn't allow him to reach it properly. He tried to tug at it but it was securely fastened around his neck and wouldn't budge. "Shit! Shit!" He stamped his heels on the ground in frustration. "Can either of you loosen your blindfolds?"

"No!" He heard Mana sniff tearfully. "I am a hopeless magician, I failed to protect you Yugi. Everyone will die because of me!"

"Don't say that Mana. There is still hope, trust me! Can you try and use your magic now?" Yugi tried to sound as confident and reassuring as he could. His brother would save them, he just knew it, but right now, he needed Mana to calm down and focus on her powers.

"No! They took my pendant."

"Trust you to try and find a way out! What do you have planned Yugi?" Anzu had quietly entered the room and had heard them talking. Yugi was thankful he had not blurted to Mana that his brother was going to help them.

Yugi stayed quiet so she walked over to him and kicked his leg. "Tell me what you're planning?!" She ordered. Yugi found it hard to comprehend that a voice that had once been so happy and warm, could now sound so cold and sinister.

If she could have seen the glare he was giving her from inside the hooded blindfold the demon possessing her would have dropped dead.

"First remove the blindfold and then make me tell you," he responded boldly. If he could look into her eyes and somehow, get through to the real Anzu, he hoped he might be able to encourage her to fight the demon.

She straddled him and sat in his lap, pulling the blindfold away. "You are going to regret saying that Yugi." She slowly ground herself against him while kissing him and roughly biting his lip when he didn't respond, making the inside of his lower lip bleed slightly. The taste of his blood seemed to arouse her and she purred. Yugi flinched at the sound. It was not the sweet sound he remembered when they made love, but a feral sound that reminded him of a big cat stalking its prey.

::::::::::::

Nobody said much for the rest of the drive to the port. Isono drove into the private parking bay opposite a large luxury cruiser.

"Man, how the other half live!" Jonouchi gaped at the Sunseeker Predator 57 moored on the jetty.

"Kaiba sure is a spoilt bastard!" Honda added.

"Hey you two! That yacht used to belong to me!" Mai squealed and glared at them both with a hurt, angry expression.

"Aw Mai! I'm sorry, I didn't realise that..." Jonouchi trailed off. She looked close to tears so he stopped talking and cuddled her. She stiffened at his attempt at comforting her.

"It's okay, you weren't to know. And I'm over it already... Come on, lets get going, were wasting time standing here." Taking a deep breath, she tossed aside the sadness she was feeling and boarded the vessel she had once owned.

"Can I drive?" Honda ran to the wheelhouse, stopping to scratch his head at the sight of the controls.

"You will need these." Isono held up the set of keys. Mai snatched them.

"I will drive. There are strict speed limits and shipping lanes you have to follow. It's been a while since I piloted her. I don't want you morons to scratch her either." She started the engine and skilfully steered the boat out of the harbour. It still felt like _her_ boat

Once clear of the harbour, Isono plotted the course on the GPS.

"Okay, lets hit it!" She opened the throttle and the boat sped through the water, towards the island.

* * *

 **The battle is about to begin!**

 **Please review.**


	34. Chapter 34

This chapter is a wee bit shorter than previous ones. There is a lot happening at the same time in the story and I felt that it was a good place to finish this chapter. I hope you won't be too disappointed.

Warning: Some swearing, some suggestive content and mild torture- nothing graphic. Also some violence and blood. Please remember this is a fictional story, from the depths of my twisted imagination, and apologies if any of the content upsets anyone. I do try to keep within the realms of acceptability- honest!

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.

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Broken Dreams

Chapter 34. Preparing the Ritual

When Yugi looked into Anzu's eyes he saw nothing of his once happy, carefree, beautiful girlfriend. Her eyes were navy and soulless, her skin was almost grey and leathery with veins of deepest purple pulsing underneath. _Is there anything left of her soul?_ He wondered sadly.

"What's the matter Yugi?" She snarled, revealing her fangs. "Don't you love me any more?" She laughed at the look of horror and repulsion mixed with sadness and confusion on his face.

But he was not about to give in and cry. Despite his sadness, he was done with tears and there was no way he would give this creature controlling Anzu, the satisfaction of seeing him cry. "You monster," he snarled as threateningly as he dare, "Let her go! Anzu! Please... I know you are in there somewhere, you have to fight it!" He was rewarded with a stinging slap to the face.

"Stupid Yugi. Your little girlfriend is no match for me. Yes, I can hear her soul crying deep inside her heart, but she can't escape, I'm in complete control." She grabbed the sweater and tee-shirt he was wearing underneath and ripped them open with ease, exposing his chest. He made a shocked gasping sound- he liked that sweater, it had been a present from Anzu.

"Yugi! What are you doing to him? Leave him alone you demon creature!" Mana called out desperately.

"Ahh.. Poor little magician – powerless without her necklace." She held up the gold and ruby pendant that she had taken from Mana when they kidnapped them.

"What's going on?" Mokuba felt tears trickle over his cheeks, dripping down onto the hood that was depriving him of sight, making it wet and uncomfortable.

"Shut your mouths humans. Unless you want to be next?" She snarled back at them. "Now where were we?" She ran her hand over his chest and teasingly tickled his nipples with her fingertips. "You used to like me doing this." She leaned in and swirled her tongue over each of his nipples in turn.

Yugi scrunched his eyes in a grimace. He might have enjoyed _Anzu_ doing this to him but right now he felt more like this creature she had become, was molesting him.

"What's the matter Yugi? I thought you would be turned on by me." When he didn't respond, she ground herself against him. Determined not to give her the satisfaction of seeing the hurt and anger he was feeling, he turned his face away from her and gritted his teeth.

Anzu was getting a little irritated by his resistance. Using her fangs she pierced the skin just above his left nipple.

He yelped in surprise at the sharp pinprick and looked at her with wide eyes. "Y..you bit me!"

She smirked. "Now do I have your attention?" She watched with sadistic enjoyment as a small trickle of crimson leaked out of the puncture mark and ran down over his nipple. She used her tongue to slowly and sensually lick his blood.

It was distressing and Yugi fought against his emotions. This monster was using Anzu to torment him and he was not going to let this creature win. It was not just him being tortured; Yugi was pretty sure that Anzu was being tortured too. Somehow, he had to find a way to reach her.

Back in the room they were going to use for the ritual, Atem was tense and restless. He was leaning up against the wall with his arms folded, watching Seto Kaiba meditate. He seemed to be in some sort of trance like state. Maybe this was his chance to take hold of the Millennium Puzzle and use it to attack Seto. Or maybe the Rod? He could use the dagger to stab him through the heart. But that would kill him and he could not bring himself to murder the man in cold blood! He needed to come up with a plan that would save them all and he needed to come up with it fast! But it would not be easy unless he could free his brother and Mana. He also needed to get Mana's pendant from Anzu so that Mana could access her heka and give them a real fighting chance.

Tackling Seto Kaiba would be difficult. Right now, the man was possibly vulnerable, but he had no way of knowing just how alert Seto was while meditating. If Seto reacted, would he be strong enough to fight Seto's demon on his own? There was only one option and only one chance. He had to try.

Getting up, he walked quietly and slowly towards the centre of the pentagram. He could still feel his own demon in the back of his mind telling him this was futile and that he should give in and accept that he could not stop the ritual. He did his best to ignore it.

Just as he bent down to retrieve the Puzzle, Seto's eyes shot open. "Yami! You disappoint me.. again! Were you thinking you could take _MY PLACE AS GOD?!_ " His voice began as a quiet, accusing hiss and rose to a shout.

Atem stopped and gulped back his fear to face him. He smirked as evilly as he could, and to convince Seto that he was still a creature of darkness, allowed his demon to surface just enough to cause his eyes to glow a threatening crimson. "Only one of us can be God!" He growled menacingly. His show of aggression was good and belied the fact that inside he was afraid and in conflict with himself.

Seto tipped his head back and let out a cackling laugh. "You are no match for me, you pathetic little man! I have been preparing for this moment. Nothing will stop me!" He raised his hands and let out a burst of shadow energy from his palms. It hit Atem full in the chest, causing him to drop the Puzzle as he was thrown backwards against the door. The door splintered and he went crashing straight through.

Groaning in pain, Atem rolled around on the floor and pushed himself to his knees. As he did so, he felt a stab of pain from a large splinter of wood that had embedded itself deep in his back, and he knew that if he didn't allow his demon to take full control he would lose consciousness and be rendered incapable by his wound.

He looked up to see Seto towering over him with the Millennium Rod in hand.

Slowly, Seto drew the blade from the rod and smirked. The only thing preventing him from slitting Atem's throat right there and then, was the enjoyment of seeing him on his knees, looking utterly defeated.

Not allowing himself to be intimidated further, Atem glared up at Seto defiantly. Reaching round he grasped the end of the piece of wood and prepared to pull it free. Knowing it would be agony, he closed his eyes tightly. "Sorry Yugi, Mana... everyone, I failed you," he whispered to himself as he pulled. Letting out a scream of pain, he collapsed on the floor. With the splinter of wood removed the wound started to bleed heavily.

All the while, Seto stood over him holding the dagger, smirking.

The wound was debilitating but would heal within minutes if he let the demon take over, but he was unsure if he had the courage to do so for fear of being unable to re-gain control of his own mind once he was healed. However, it was obvious to him that Seto was only letting him live a little while longer because he enjoyed watching him suffer. He was no use dead! He had no other choice, it was a risk he had to take.

The moment the demon was back in charge, the pain subsided and the wound began to close.

He pushed himself to his feet just as Seto raised the dagger to strike him. With lightening speed, Atem clamped his hand around Seto's wrist and dug his nails in, drawing blood and preventing Seto from plunging the dagger into his neck.

The two men glared menacingly at each other. Seto towered over him and Atem's knees threatened to buckle, but he was fighting for his life and refused to release his vice-like grip on Seto's wrist. Snarling and with his breathing laboured, Atem's eyes flashed crimson.

Sneering, Seto looked down at him with disdain and then laughed. "You are pathetic! You are no match for me, I could kill you easily."

"Then why don't you?!"

Hearing the loud crash and raised voices, Anzu stopped tormenting Yugi and leaped up to go and investigate, forgetting to put the hood back over his head. As soon as she was gone he looked around for any possible means of escape. He noticed Mana's necklace laying on the floor nearby. Anzu had dropped it when she leaped up! If only he could reach it! He needed to be quick, before Anzu realised and came back for it.

The necklace had fallen closer to Mana than it had him but she was still blindfolded and he wasn't sure if she would be able to find it. There was a possibility that if she tried to reach out to scrape it closer with her foot, she could accidentally kick it away instead.

"Mana! Anzu dropped your necklace about two feet away from you. If I instruct you how to reach it with your foot, you might be able to get us free. But you must be careful not to kick it further away." Mana nodded in understanding.

"Yes, I can do it Yugi." She nodded frantically inside the hood.

When Anzu reached the two men, she saw that Atem had been injured in some sort of fight between the two. His top was ripped and soaked in blood and there was blood splattered on the floor where he stood. She jumped between them, shoving Seto backwards. "What the fuck are you two fighting about?!"

"I knew it was wrong to let this traitor join us," Seto growled. "Put him with the other prisoners until we are ready to start the ritual."

Atem knew that he would not be able to fight them both, especially weakened by his injury so he raised his hands in submission. "Okay Kaiba! You win. I will concede to you."

"Here, drink this. You need to be strong for the ritual to succeed." Anzu tossed Atem a bag of blood from the cool box. He caught it and gulped it down. His human soul was repulsed and he wanted to vomit. Reluctantly, he allowed the demon to stay in control so that he could drink it without raising any further suspicion that he was partially in control of his own body. As he drank, he could feel the damaged tissue inside his back healing. A surge of demon strength also coursed through his limbs.

"Good, now go and bring the sacrifices, we should begin the ritual. I can feel the remaining items getting closer and we need to be ready." Seto looked at his watch to see that it was now eleven forty five. His body was feeling tense and twitchy with nervous anticipation.

In the next thirty minutes he would be the new God of this world, and all living creatures that inhabited it would become his to consume. He would be the ultimate ruler over this new Shadow World. And the first person he planned to consume was that irritating, traitorous Atem.

Meanwhile, Mana had successfully managed to hook her foot round her necklace and was attempting to drag it close enough to reach. With her blindfold on and hands cuffed she was fumbling to pick it up and get it round her neck.

When they heard footsteps coming back down the steps to the basement, she started to panic and dropped it again.

"It's next to your left leg Mana, hurry, you can reach it!" Yugi called desperately.

In her panic Mana leaned over to the right by mistake and groped at the floor, just as the three demons came into the room. "No! Your left!" Yugi shouted in frustration.

Seto spotted that her hands were almost on her necklace. He walked over and kicked it away. "What is that thing?!"

"It's nothing," Atem quickly stepped in and picked it up. "Just a family heirloom. It was her mother's– sentimental crap!" He shoved it in his pocket before anyone could say anything.

"Prince! Why are you helping them? Please! I love you! You must still feel something for me?!"

After allowing the demon to take back control, Atem was struggling to fight it off again, and hearing her calling out to him gave him strength. He wanted to run to her and tell her he was okay and that he would save them all in some heroic act, but he knew that in their current predicament it would be futile. He had already made one bad error of judgement, he could not make another. He must bide his time until a better opportunity arose.

Seto saw his facial muscles twitch as he tried not to show any feelings. It was clear to him that Atem was fighting against the demon.

"Don't listen to her, she is trying to manipulate you, you fool!" Seto snarled.

Yugi saw this as an opportunity. "Yami! Anzu! Don't help him! He lied to you about ruling at his side. You must know he plans to kill you both!"

"Shut up!" Seto kicked Yugi's thigh.

Atem spun round to face them. "Nice try Yugi, but I'm not falling for it!" He snarled. Taking the key to Yugi's handcuffs from Seto, he unlocked them from the radiator and pulled him onto his feet. Seto was quick to notice that Atem had left Yugi's hands free.

"Put the cuffs back on him and give me the key?" Seto ordered. Reluctantly, Atem did as he was told. He had hoped no one would notice.

Seto snatched the key and turned away smugly to get Mokuba.

"Good, now bring them to the chamber." Seto ordered. Mokuba's body sagged and he refused to walk so Seto slung him over his shoulder, while Anzu dragged a reluctant Mana.

Atem made sure he lagged behind with Yugi so that he could talk to him.

"I am still infected, but the Puzzle did something to me and I'm doing my best to fight the demon," he whispered in Yugi's ear. Yugi nodded slightly and listened as his brother continued. "I will try to disrupt the ritual so that we can get the Millennium items."

"What happened to you? We heard the noise!" Yugi was shocked by the blood that coated his brother's back.

"I had a fight with Kaiba, it's nothing for you to worry about. When we get upstairs, I will hand you over to Anzu. You have to get the Puzzle and then get Anzu away from Seto and the ritual. The Puzzle will help you. I will give Mana her necklace and then try and get to Mokuba."

"Can we get these cuffs off?"

"I will try and convince Kaiba."

"Okay! And Yami? Take care..."

"I will. We're all gonna get out of this, I promise." Atem hugged his brother and Yugi snuggled against him as best he could in handcuffs.

"What are you do doing back there? Hurry up!" Seto shouted from the top of the stairs when he saw that Atem was not following with Yugi.

"He was trying to fight me," Atem growled, holding Yugi in a way that gave the impression he had a tight grip around his throat.

To make it look believable, Yugi put on a good act, squirming and pretending to fight his brother. "Keep fighting and I will break your arm!" He dragged Yugi up the stairs and took him over to where Anzu was standing holding Mana. "Here! I think this one's yours! Watch him, he's lively!" He shoved Yugi rather roughly at Anzu and grabbed Mana's arm, pulling her against his body. "Be a good girl and I will make it as painless as possible," he hissed. He hated himself for being cruel to them, but in front of Seto, he needed to keep up the pretence.

"Take your places," Seto ordered.

"Aren't we missing something? Looks like your plan backfired and we have two no shows," Atem taunted. It was five to midnight and there was no sign of the Ring or Tauk arriving.

"I have had enough of you! I will take great pleasure in ripping your body apart and consuming your pathetic human soul. Now take your place."

Atem snorted at him defiantly. He would mess with this rival and do everything he could to disrupt proceedings and get everyone to safety. He then he had to work out a way to free Seto from the demon's grip and destroy it without harming him. He hoped Mana might have the answer.

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The luxury cruiser cut through the waves at the maximum speed allowed.

"Can't this thing go any faster?" Jonouchi was growing impatient. They seemed to have been travelling for ages and it felt like they were still miles away! In reality they had only left the harbour ten minutes ago.

"Yes, but there are strict speed limits in this stretch of water. If the coastguard catches us we will be in trouble and will never get there," Mai replied curtly.

"It shouldn't be much longer. Another twenty minutes," Isono replied.

"We might not have twenty minutes," Honda fretted, concern for his friends growing more intense by the minute.

"I believe they plan to begin the ritual at midnight. We will still be there in time." Mahado was putting on a brave show of confidence. He had trained all his life for this sort of eventuality, but hoped he would never have to face it. Now that it was here, he hoped he was strong enough to defeat it.

"There! In the distance." Isono pointed to a rapidly approaching Island. They could see a long dormant volcano in the centre of the Island, surrounded by a lush green forest leading down to rocky cliffs that gave way to stretches of golden beach.

As they got nearer, Mai throttled back so that the boat was barely ticking over, making the engine sound much quieter. "We don't want to announce we are coming," When they got within eight hundred metres she cut the engine completely and dipped the lights, as she skilfully let the boat drift in on the current, towards the jetty.

"Where'd you learn to drive a boat like that?!" Jonouchi was impressed with Mai's boat handling.

"There's a lot of things I'm good at kiddo!" She winked at him saucily. Underneath it she was struggling to contain her fear– her heart rate was through the roof!

"Nice driving Mai. I don't think they will have heard us arrive, and surprise is our best weapon," Sugoroku stated.

"Who should look after this?" Jonouchi produced the Blue Eyes White Dragon card.

"You hold onto it for now," Ishizu told him. She then closed her eyes and summoned her spirit Ka, Spira.

Mahado used the ring to point them in the right direction. It was pitch black and they could not see the building or any lights because Seto had blacked out all the windows in the building. "It is in that direction. We should use minimal light to get us there without alerting them to our arrival."

Spira had excellent night vision and could move quietly. She was able to blend into her surroundings without being spotted, and whatever she saw, Ishizu would also be able to see. "Spira, show me what is happening?" Sipra nodded and flew away into the night.

Jonouchi and Honda both pulled out their phones and used the flashlight to guide them.

"Be careful to point it at the ground. If you wave them about, someone might see it," Mai warned them.

"Yeah, yeah! I got it Mai, so don't fret okay!" As Jonouchi spoke the light beam was waving all over the place.

"Jonouchi!" Sugoroku grabbed his arm and pulled it down so that the beam pointed at the ground.

"Sorry Gramps!" He said sheepishly.

Carefully they walked off the rickety jetty. The Island had not been inhabited for some time and the walkway was in need of repair. They carefully picked their way up the crumbling path. It was clear that at some time, someone had taken care to plant exotic plants but left to their own devices they had become wild and overgrown.

The path lead them onto a grassy plain. There was a fairly modest two storey house that was in need of repair. The vast surrounding grassland was where Seto Kaiba planned to build his school.

"Look! The helicopter." Honda pointed his beam to where the helicopter was standing.

"What can Spira see Ishizu?" Mahado turned to Ishizu hopefully. She shook her head.

"It would seem that most of the windows have been blacked out, but she can see into one of the empty rooms. There appears to be a light on in the upstairs hallway. I think that is where they are."

"Okay, call her back to you. When we get inside, I will summon Magus of Illusion. I will focus on Seto Kaiba and try to disable him. Jonouchi, Ishizu and Isono, I want you to tackle Atem. Mai and Honda tackle Anzu. Try not to physically hurt them, remember they are still human deep down. Sugoroku, I want you to free the hostages. Are you all clear with your roles?" Everyone nodded. You could feel the tension radiating off them all.

"Good! Although I have asked you to deal with Atem, I will need you to be ready to back me up Jonouchi. Have the Blue Eyes White Dragon card ready to summon. I don't want to play her too soon. She is our trump card and if Seto is too far gone it will be our last hope."

"Yep! You can count on me, I won't let you down." Jonouchi deftly touched the card resting in his pocket. He had placed her close to his own Black Eyes Red Dragon. He did not know how summoning real monsters from the Beast Realm worked, but he figured that if he had enough belief in the Heart of the Cards – as Yugi's Grandpa always said – anything was possible.

Quietly, Mahado walked to the rear of the house. Hopefully, they would not expect them to come in the back way. He called his Mage to his side and tried the back door. Unsurprisingly, it was locked.

Just a small amount of his heka was enough to break the weak lock and cautiously, they prepared to enter the house.

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 **Thank you for reading. I know things are looking pretty bleak for our heroes at the moment, but they are fighters and never give up! Hope you enjoyed it:-)**

 **Please review**


	35. Chapter 35

This is it! The battle you have all waited so patiently for. There is a lot going on and I really hope I have done a decent job of writing it, and that you will all enjoy the suspense and terror that is unfolding.

Just a warning that there is the odd swear word in this chapter.

The usual disclaimer, that I do not own any rights to Yugioh.

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Broken Dreams

Chapter 35 The Ritual Begins

Tension filled the air as Seto began the Ritual. He stood in front of the alter, which consisted of an old oak dining table, covered with a black sheet and a large beeswax candle. He ordered that Atem stand to his left and Anzu to his right; holding their respective sacrifices.

Atem had never felt as anxious as he was feeling right now! He needed to let Mana know he was not going to harm her, and somehow, find an opportunity to slip her the necklace he was keeping safe in his pocket, without being spotted. But Kaiba had made it clear that he did not trust him and both he and Anzu were watching him closely, making it difficult.

But he had do do something, or there would be no more chances. It was now or never!

The sinister cackle he let out almost made him cringe! It was frightening that he was capable of making such a sound. But he still had the demon nagging at him in the back of his mind, so he had decided that he was going to use it's strengths and weaknesses to his advantage.

Nuzzling Mana's neck, he growled in his demon voice. "You smell nice little Mana!" Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Anzu opposite him, laughing at the fear on Mana's face– good, Anzu believed him, his plan was working.

As he nuzzled, he whispered in her ear. "Don't react and give the game away... I am on your side. I will get us out of here, okay!" Mana's reaction was convincing- mostly because she was still terrified and was still not sure if he was bluffing.

"Prince! Please don't hurt me," she whimpered.

"I won't hurt you," he whispered. "I have your necklace in my right, rear pocket. When they become distracted, I will try to slip it round your neck, or if you can, you must try to reach for it. We have to stop Kaiba. Yugi will deal with Anzu." He then said in a louder voice for everyone to hear. "What a shame we didn't get to have some fun first..."

"You are not my Prince any more, I hate you!" Still unconvinced, Mana twisted in his arms and tried to wriggle free, but his grip was too strong for her. Their eyes met as she twisted and she got a good look at his face. In that moment, she understood that he was genuinely back on their side.

Mana almost let out an audible shriek of relief– something Atem had dreaded she might do! But she kept control of her emotions and managed to give him a surreptitious wink to let him know she understood.

"When you two have stopped confessing your undying love. Can we continue? Only our remaining guests are about to arrive," Seto rolled his eyes and huffed sarcastically.

Yugi looked down at the cuffs that were restraining him and raised an eyebrow in an attempt to remind Atem that they still needed to get them off. Having grown up together they had perfected the art of silent communication. Atem understood the gesture immediately and returned a knowing look of his own that said 'I haven't forgotten.'

Seto smirked, he could feel it... Just as he had predicted, the two remaining Millennium items had arrived on the island and were just about to enter the building.

To give themselves an even bigger advantage over the humans, Seto turned off the large battery powered lamp that had been providing the light in the blacked out room (There was no electricity on the island) leaving just the one candle alight on their makeshift alter. Being behind Seto, the light from the candle cast an eerie shadow across the pentagram and room.

Thankful for his demon vision, Atem could still see as though it was perfect daylight. Unfortunately, this meant that Kaiba and Anzu could too, making it still too risky to give Mana her necklace. Across from him, Atem could see the fear on his brother's face. He could also feel Mana trembling. He tried to comfort her a little by rubbing her arm.

Seto muttered some words in an ancient language and Atem felt Mana's body tense as a heavy cloying sensation surrounded them. Atem could feel that it was the Shadow Realm because the air became dense and cloying. Atem knew that he had to do something now or they would all die.

"We should remove their handcuffs," he suggested.

"Why?" Seto cast him an impatient look.

"Why not!" He smirked. "It's not like they can overpower us or run away. It's pitch dark and the Shadow Realm has them trapped."

"Hmph! You are just trying to stall for time. Are you worried about leaving your feeble human body behind?"

"No! I crave the power of the shadows," he replied, so convincingly that Yugi and Mana both worried that he was back under control of the demon and was slipping away from them again.

"Well, hurry up then." Seto huffed as he unlocked Mokuba's handcuffs and tossed the keys to Atem. As soon as he had unlocked Mana's hands he threw the bunch of keys to Anzu. She was not keen to release Yugi but did so anyway. They would be dead in a few moments anyway, so what did it matter!

It was a relief for Yugi to get the uncomfortable and restrictive cuffs off. Now that he was rid of them he decided to act quickly. Taking Anzu by surprise, he rammed his elbow into her ribs. "Sorry!" He squeaked. He would never normally hit a woman.

The blow did not hurt her but it did take her by surprise and as her grip loosened he spun and shoved her as hard as he could. He knew that he had to hit hard because of her demon strength.

She toppled backwards and landed on her butt. Yugi threw himself into the centre of the pentagram and grabbed his Millennium Puzzle.

In the cloying atmosphere of the Shadow Realm and with his adrenalin pumping he was struggling to pick it up and get the rope over his head. He also knew he needed to summon a monster but he did not have his cards with him! What should he summon? Unaware that the Shadow Realm was affecting him, he inwardly cursed at his inability to think properly. Could he even summon a monster without its card?! His indecision cost him when Seto Kaiba lifted one hand and shot a blast of Shadow Energy at him.

"Your futile efforts to escape will not succeed!"

Yugi did not even see it coming and it caught his shoulder, spinning him round and throwing him across the room. He slid along the floor and into the wall. With the pain from the blast and the impact with the wall, he lay there groaning for a few seconds, unable to move. He glared across to where he had dropped the Puzzle back on the pentagram.

"No! Yugi!" Atem wanted to run to his brother and help him but he knew that he had to stop Seto first.

The moment he called out, Seto's enraged glare shot towards him accusingly. "You traitorous bastard..." He raised his hand again and prepared to strike Atem down with a blow three times more powerful than the one he had hit Yugi with. Luckily, it took him slightly longer to summon up that much energy, giving Atem a few seconds in which to react.

Atem's strength as a demon was his speed. Forgetting all about her necklace, he released Mana and pushed her to safety. With lightening reflexes he leaped at Seto so quickly that Seto did not even see him coming.

Gripping Seto's throat, Atem tried to wrestle him away from Mokuba. But as a demon, Seto was bigger and physically, much stronger than Atem; and he was gaining even more strength now that the ascension had begun. With one hand still gripping Mokuba, he used the other to grip Atem's throat. Lifting him off his feet, Seto held him up, dangling him in the air.

Atem could feel his windpipe being crushed and was forced to release his grip on Seto, to use both of his hands in an attempt to pry Seto's hand from his throat before he was choked to death.

Seto flung him across the room as though he were a rag doll. His head hit the wall knocking him out.

"Prince!" Mana screamed, running to his side.

Seto started laughing and pulled as much shadow energy into his body as he possibly could, to fire a powerful and deadly burst at them both. "Goodbye losers!" The burst of energy hit them full on. Seto started laughing manically. "I don't need any of you morons to ascend!" He pulled the dagger portion out of his favourite Millennium item; the Rod, and prepared to stab Mokuba through the heart.

"No! Seto! Big Brother.. please don't hurt me?!" Mokuba was crying out his brothers name hysterically and squirming like an eel, trying to break free.

Anzu had already picked herself up off the floor and was dragging a rather dazed Yugi, back towards the pentagram.

"Anzu! Listen to me? Don't do this..!" He had barely been aware of his brother fighting with Seto and was shocked when he suddenly saw his brother being flung against the wall and then laying there motionless.

"NO! Yami! He screamed out when an explosive blast of energy engulfed his brother and Mana. How could they survive that?! "N..no..." he choked out a sob as Anzu pushed him down onto his knees on the pentagram, rather roughly.

"Shut up Yugi!" She hissed, unsympathetically.

::::::::::::

Creeping in through the back door, Mahdao and his team of rescuers paused in the hallway to listen. Upstairs, they heard shouting and what sounded like fighting. "It's starting!" Ishizu gasped.

"We have to help them!" Mai cried.

Without waiting Jonouchi and Honda broke into a run and headed straight for the stairs.

When they came to the room that appeared to be the source of the noise, they stopped. In front of them was a swirling purple, black and red mass of dark energy. "What the fuck is that?!" Jonouchi gasped.

"The fuck I know dude, but I'm going in." Honda ran straight through the wall and a split second later, emerged, barrelling into a stunned Jonouchi and knocking him over.

"How in the hell did that happen?!" Honda gasped.

"Gerroff me you big jerk!" Jonouchi shoved him and sat up rubbing his head and ribs.

The others reached them.

"What happened?" Mai gasped when she saw the shadow barrier.

"It is a wall of Shadow Energy," Mahado informed them. "It can only be breached using dark magic. Magus of Illusion, make a pathway for us?" The mage pointed his sceptre at the swirling mass and a pitch black tunnel appeared. Mahado looked at them all with worry. "It will be a dangerous journey. I do not know what lies within, but you will be tested. Keep your hearts strong and do not give in to your fears. Remember, they are just illusions." He carefully stepped through, into the tunnel.

Mai gripped Jonouchi's hand as they entered. "Where are we?!" She suddenly gasped. She was back in her old office and there was no sign of Jonouchi. Instead Jason stood before her ready to strike her. She was on her knees, looking up at him helplessly as he spitefully gripped her hair, pulling her head up to look at him.

"You bitch!" He spat... "Screwing that low life loser behind my back! Look what he did to my face?!" Mai noticed that Jason's nose was smashed and bloody from when Jonouchi had headbutted him. Something about this was not right.

She closed her eyes, just as his fist was about to impact with her jaw. "This is not real, this is not real..." she repeated over and over. The fist never struck her so she opened her eyes to see Jonouchi there instead. She was on her knees, with her arms curled defensively over her head, tears filling her eyes. Jonouchi was down on one knee in front of her, gently rubbing her shoulder and looking worried.

"Mai! Mai, answer me? What's wrong?" His mouth was not moving in time with his words. His voice was distant and everything appeared out of focus.

Slowly her head started to clear and her composure returned. "What was that...?!" She cried, hugging him.

"I dunno! One minute we were entering this swirly massy thing, the next you cried out and fell onto the floor like you was terrified of something!"

"Oh!" She felt silly. "It must have been one of those illusions Mahado mentioned." She pushed him away and held out her hand. "Well, help me up?!"

"Yeah, it must have been," he frowned pulling her up with him as he stood. "We should be careful." He did not embarrass her further by asking what she saw. He had yet to be tormented by anything and hoped to keep it that way.

No sooner had he thought about it happening, it did:

"Katsuya?" He jumped and whirled around when he heard his name called. It was Shizuka. _What's she doing here?!_

Suddenly, he was huddled up in the broom cupboard with his sister Shizuka cuddled against him. Their father had come home from one of his gambling and drinking binges. Mister Jonouchi senior had always enjoyed a drink, but had still been a loving family man and a great Dad... That was, until he lost his job almost a year ago. His behaviour was now tearing the once happy family apart.

For an eight year old and his six year old sister, it was frightening, but there was nothing they could do. Their mother had shoved them both into the broom cupboard and locked them in so that they would not witness, or be on the receiving end of their fathers drunken, often violent behaviour. Pots and pans were being hurled around, their mother screaming, their father yelling abuse. Jonouchi frantically pounded at the door, swearing that one day he would grow to be a strong fighter so that he could beat some sense into his father.

"Jonouchi! Jonouchi! Answer me?!"

"What?!" Jonouchi gasped and found himself clinging to Mai.

"You suddenly thought I was your sister and started crying out for your father to stop hurting your mother. You screamed that one day you would beat his brains out!"

"Oh! Did I? Yeah, sorry Mai... It was just this shit place messing with my head. We need to figure out how we get outta here before it sends us all mental."

"Where has everyone else gone?!" Mai looked around and the others were nowhere in sight.

The barrier of Shadow Energy that Seto had summoned was designed to keep out people that he did not want inside the room. Only those with the Millennium items would be allowed through.

::::::::::::

Ripping Mokuba's stripy sweater to reveal his pale chest, Seto raised the dagger. Now resigned to the inevitable, Mokuba shut his eyes tightly as he waited for the end to come.

Demon Anzu had forced Yugi down onto his knees into a position that suggested he was about to be executed. Determined not to give in just yet, he looked up to see Seto kaiba raising the dagger above Mokuba.

Fired up with anger and grief for his brother and Mana; both of whom he assumed dead, Yugi struggled against Anzu.

"Mokuba! No! Kaiba, don't! He's your brother!" Yugi shouted desperately.

Fighting with every last ounce of strength he had, he lunged at the Puzzle again, which was back in the centre of the pentagram. Anzu tried to stop him, but he somehow managed to get his hand on it and this time refused to let it go.

Things were starting to seem desperate. His emotions were boiling over with anger and hatred for this demon who had taken Anzu from him, incinerated his brother and Mana and was now about to force the elder Kaiba brother to kill his younger sibling. Was there nothing he could do to prevent it?

Yugi was unaware that the eye of the puzzle had started to glow in response to his rage. He suddenly felt a strange sensation as though he was leaving his body! What was happening?

"Yugi!" Anzu snarled, shaking him in frustration when his body suddenly went limp. "Why won't you respond?" She tried to prise the Puzzle from his hand, but it burnt her. "Shit!" She screamed when she was thrown backwards by some sort of invisible force.

Yugi had no idea what was going on. One moment he was fighting for his life and had just managed to grab the Puzzle, the next he was standing at the top of the stairs, in a luxuriously decorated mansion. How did he get here?! Was this his death?! He was in front of a door. On the door was a plaque which read 'Seto's Room.' If it was _his_ death, why was he in front of Seto kaiba's bedroom door?!

Yugi gasped when it hit him! This was Seto Kaiba's Soul Room! He did not know how he knew this, he just did! It was as though a feeling deep in his heart was telling him. Could this be his chance to save the Kaiba brothers?!

Being polite, he knocked but got no response.

Remembering this was an emergency, Yugi put his manners aside and tried to open the door but it would not budge. "Kaiba...! Seto! Can you hear me?" He put his ear to the door but all he could hear were the sobs of a child from within. "Kaiba! Open the door? I'm here to help but you have to fight it yourself! A demon is controlling your body and is about to make you kill Mokuba!" Even this was not enough for the door to open.

For a fraction of a second, Demon Seto hesitated and his hand started to tremble. His face twisted into an evil snarl as the demon fought to push this interfering intruder away from Seto's soul room.

Brute force was required, so Yugi raised his foot and prepared to kick the door in. He had played video games where his character had been required to do this and he had also seen Jonouchi kick a door in before so he knew what to do. He rammed his foot just below the handle and the lock broke free.

He pushed the door again and it opened a crack but it was as if an invisible force was making it resist. "Seto, please... you must fight it! Your brother Mokuba needs you. A demon is about to make you kill him!" At last the door flew open...

Just as the demon plunged the knife into Mokuba's chest.

::::::::::::

Still trying to figure out their next move, Mai and Jonouchi suddenly heard someone scream out. It sounded like Yugi's grandfather.

"Gramps!" He and Mai ran in the direction of the scream and found Sugoroku laying face down on the ground. "Gramps! Are you okay?"

The old man groaned. "Oh! Hello you two. Of course I am, it was nothing, I just tripped over." He felt stupid. He didn't want to tell them that he had just been chased by the vile apparition of a mummy, hell bent on sucking out his life force so that it may walk the earth once more. He must have been watching too many of those silly horror films!

"Where is everyone? And what is this place?" Mai asked him.

"It appears we are in a Shadow Game," Sugoroku informed her. "We must defeat it if we are to escape and help the others."

"How do we do that Gramps?!" Jonouchi wondered.

"To tell you the truth, I have no idea." He scratched his beard and tried to think of a way out.

"Well, if there is a way in there's a way out! And I for one don't plan to stand here waiting for our nightmares to find us, so let's find that door!" Mai spoke with conviction.

"I'm liking that thought Mai. C'mon lets start looking." Jonouchi looked around him. All he could see was... nothing! "Aw man! This is fucking impossible!"

When they had all stepped into the swirling mass, Honda found himself alone. He could not understand how everyone could have just vanished like that! He thought that they would walk through the tunnel and then out the other side! Instead, he had found himself in the party room of the play centre they used to visit as kids. As far as he was concerned, he didn't have anything to worry about though because the play centre was where they always had fun. These shadows couldn't do anything to hurt him here because there was nothing he was afraid of... was there? He suddenly heard a sinister chuckle. "Who.. who's t..there?" He stuttered.

Spotting a balloon animal he bent down to pick it up. He recognised it as the poodle that the magician at his fifth birthday party made for him. He smiled. "Well if this is all I have to worry about," he mumbled.

When he looked up he screamed. Oh Shit! He had forgotten about the giant Pikachu!

As a child he had been keen on Pokemon and for his birthday, his parents had hired someone to dress up. But instead of being delighted by it, the young Hiroto Honda had found the huge, yellow, smiling creature intimidating and had burst into tears. Honda barely even remembered it, but somewhere deep in the recesses of his brain, the Shadow Realm had found the buried memory. And now, there in front of him was a large, unfriendly, sinister looking version of Pikachu. Instead of a cute, chubby face with smiling eyes, it had a large mouth curled into a sneer and large pointed teeth protruding from the gums.

Shadow Pikachu leered at him with cold, hollow eyes that resembled those of a great white shark about to eat you.

For a second Honda was glued to the spot, unable to move or make a sound. Suddenly he was that terrified five year old again.

"Hey! What's that in the distance?" Sugoroku pointed towards a large yellow shape.

Jonouchi and Mai had much better eyesight than Sugoroku and recognised it immediately.

"It looks like a giant Pikachu! Are either of you.. grown men... scared of Pikachu?" Mai scoffed and tried to hide a snicker.

"No, but I know who is!" Jonouchi took off in a run towards where he knew his friend would be. "I'm coming Honda!" No one could ever forget that birthday party. Honda had been really excited about his party, and then cried his eyes out and clung to his mother when Pikachu had turned up.

"Hey Pika?!" Jonouchi skidded to a halt behind the creature towering over Honda; who was now curled up in a ball on the floor, crying.

Pikachu turned around and Jonouchi leaped upwards at it and swung his fist into its face. It exploded into thousands of pieces and vanished.

He looked down at Honda, trembling and with a tear stained face. In any other situation he probably would have teased his normally tough friend mercilessly, but on this occasion he felt nothing but concern.

Honda looked up at him and frowned. "Don't you dare say anything..." he growled.

"It's okay man. It's the Shadow Realm, it messes with ya head." He offered a hand to his friend.

"Cheers Jou." Honda accepted the hand and jumped to his feet. "And just for the record, I wasn't really scared."

"Nah, you was terrified. It's okay buddy, this place is using our hidden fears and bad memories against us."

"What happened?" Mai asked when she and Sugoroku reached the pair.

"Nothin! Just a horrible memory trying to mess with Honda's head," Jonouchi shrugged. "We need to find Mahado, Ishizu and Kaiba's bodyguard and get outta this place."

It had yet to dawn on them that unless they used magic there _was_ no way out.

::::::::::::

Both Mahado and Ishizu found themselves passing through with ease. It took them a moment to realise that they were now standing in the doorway, looking into the room, where a scene of absolute horror was in the process of unfolding. They glanced behind to see that none of their colleagues had made it through the barrier. They were on their own.

* * *

 **Phew! I think I have left enough cliff hangers for one chapter!**

 **I hope you enjoyed? It was pretty tense to write! I only hope it was good and nail biting to read. Please leave a review to let me know what you thought.**


	36. Chapter 36

I hope the nice weather we are finally getting lasts, as I am going away on holiday next week. I will do my best to get the next chapter edited before I go so that I can post it while I'm away. If I don't get it done, I will do it when I get back a week Sunday. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Please let me know if there are any mistakes. I spent ages editing all the stuff I had written, into a publishable chapter and in the end I went word blind! So hopefully, I have not left in any typos or silly grammatical errors.

Warning: Attempted murder/sacrifice and blood. Also the odd swear word.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.

* * *

Broken Dreams

Chapter 36. Losing Battle.

When Mana reached Atem, he was barely conscious, having hit his head on the wall with a force brutal enough to kill or seriously injure an ordinary person. The impact had been so hard that the wall had cracked and the plaster had fallen away, covering him in debris.

"Prince! Wake up?!" Mana did not even know if he was still alive.

She heard Seto Kaiba say something and looked up to see a ball of energy forming in his hand.

"No!" She gasped, hurriedly thrusting her fingers into the rear right pocket of Atem's jeans. She pulled her necklace from his pocket and held him in her arms. With no time to spare, she muttered the most powerful protection spell she could think of. Would her heka be strong enough to protect them both from such a powerful blast of energy?

Seto Kaiba was too preoccupied to follow up with another blast and did not see the protective barrier that formed around them. Inside, Mana scrunched her eyes up and clung to Atem, praying that her barrier would hold. She had never summoned a protective barrier this strong before and was terrified. The attack was over in seconds, but she was so stressed that she used up far more heka than necessary. Weakened by the exertion and her emotional state, Mana fainted, just as Atem was starting to regain consciousness.

"Mana!" He shifted slightly at the weight of her slumped forward over him.

Luckily for him, when he had impacted with the wall, his demon strength had protected him from injury. Apart from being a bit dazed, he was unharmed. It occurred to him that being possessed by a demon might actually be an advantage during this fight, especially since he was now able to assert his own will over that of the demon.

Mana was also starting to wake up. "Prince, you're okay." With a relieved smile, she hugged him.

"Yes, thank you. I'm so sorry for..."

"Shhh..." Mana silenced him with a kiss. "Don't apologise, we have a battle to win!"

"Yeah..." he smiled and hugged her, kissing her forehead. "I'm still sorry though.."

Their moment of reconciliation was short lived when they felt the room shaking as the ground the house was built on started to rumble.

::::::::::::

Inside Seto's soul room, Yugi stood facing a boy of around twelve. He immediately knew it was Seto. The boy was crying and in some distress.

"Help me Yugi?!" The boy extended a desperate hand towards him and just as Yugi was about to take his hand and lead him to safety, he felt a jolt and the boy screamed out. "NO! Mokuba!"

The room shook violently and Yugi was knocked off his feet. He could feel himself being pulled backwards, away from the young Seto. Holding onto the door frame with one hand he tried to reach out to him.

"Seto?! Take my hand?" Seto had almost found Yugi's hand when he suddenly fell to the floor and let out another desperate cry as his soul room started to fly apart. Yugi was forced to let go of the door frame to shield himself from the flying debris of books and pieces of electronic equipment. As soon as he let go, he was thrown away from Seto and everything became a distorted blur, giving him a sensation of motion sickness.

Smirking triumphantly, the demon in charge of Seto's body, congratulated itself for crushing its host's feeble attempt to break free from his soul prison.

However, its smirk quickly turned to angry snarls when it saw that its host had somehow asserted a small piece of his will into the actions of his right arm!

All the demon had managed to do was make several cuts; one just under the front part of Mokuba's collarbone, one near his armpit, and another two to his hand and wrist, where the boy had raised his arm in defence.

The knife may not have penetrated Mokuba's heart as the demon desired but it had still cut him enough to allow droplets of crimson to fall onto the pentagram. As each droplet splashed onto the floor, it sizzled and wisps of smoke trailed upwards. They were thin at first but as cracks started to form in the ground, the wisps of smoke became thicker.

::::::::::::

Anzu was angered at the way the Puzzle was protecting Yugi. Crawling back over to where he was laying she put her hands under his arms and pulled him into her lap, while carefully avoiding contact with the Puzzle, which he was still clutching in his hands.

As she lifted him up his head lolled to one side as if his soul had already departed his body.

"No...!" She wailed. "This was not supposed to happen!" For a moment the demon wavered. He was her sacrifice and she wanted to consume his soul herself so that they could be forever joined together in the new Shadow World Seto had promised her. But the Shadows had already stolen him... She let out an agonised screech.

Sensing Yugi's desire to save her, the Puzzle used the demon's moment of weakness to reach out to Anzu's soul in an attempt to help her. Anzu responded and fought for control of her body. The demon had taken her dignity and had made her hurt the man she loved. Confused and grief stricken, she found herself back in charge of her body, holding Yugi in her arms. Vast chunks of her recent life were missing from her memory and she did not even know where they were or how they got here.

For the handful of seconds she was in control, she let the tears flow. "Yugi! Where are we?!" But his body remained lifeless and he did not answer her. "What have they done to you?" She stumbled over the words emotionally as she caressed his face.

The moment was short lived and she soon found herself back in her soul room, curled up on her bed, her tears now falling onto the large teddy bear she was holding in place of Yugi. It was the teddy he had won for her at the fun fair.

Regaining control, the demon snarled at the tender way it found itself cradling Yugi. "Ugh!" Using the back of her hand, she wiped away the pathetic human tears that burned her cheeks.

::::::::::::

After stepping from the tunnel, Mahado and Ishizu had little time to assess the situation. The room was very dark and thick with Shadow Energy and the rest of their troops had still not made it through yet, leaving them at a disadvantage.

Everything seemed to be happening all at once and there was no time to decide who to help first.

Yugi was laying on the floor with Anzu. He did not appear to be moving but was clutching the Puzzle, while Anzu seemed distressed.

Mokuba was being held roughly over the pentagram by his brother. He was still alive but was injured and in some distress. Saving him was their priority

However, Mahado then caught a glimpse of Mana and Atem laying in the corner against the wall. They both appeared to be moving and he was unsure if Mana was in danger and was caught between helping Mokuba or his sister.

He was snapped back to Seto when he heard him curse angrily. He let go of Mokuba and pushed him onto the floor in front of him, allowing more blood to drip onto the pentagram.

"No! Mokuba?! Can you reach us?" Ishizu shouted.

Hearing their voices, Demon Seto's head shot up and he glared in their direction. Tipping his head back, he greeted them with a mocking laugh. "Thank you both for your perfect timing! Now all the items are together, I can begin my ascension!"

"We won't let you do that!" Mahado stood his ground amidst the unfolding chaos.

"Too late humans! Nothing can... Arghhhh.." It was starting. Seto let out a strangled cry as pain gripped his body and he fell to his knees. "Nothing can stop me now!" His back arched and his spine popped loudly as his organs re-aligned themselves, allowing the change to progress.

His back arched again and his clothing ripped apart as his spine popped from his human skin, revealing large knobbly vertebrae with protruding spines. They watched on in horror as his demon form rapidly took shape.

"No! We are too late!" Ishizu shouted emotionally. She felt shocked and sickened by what she was witnessing. "That poor man! We couldn't save him!"

"We cannot allow our feelings to get in the way of us destroying that creature!" Mahado tried to remain stoic.

"Can we at least try and save Mokuba?!" Ishizu could see the boy cowering away from what had once been his brother. "Mokuba?! You must try to reach me!" But instead of running to her, he crawled under the table being used as an alter and cowered there.

::::::::::::

The sensation of being pulled backwards lasted a split second and then Yugi was suddenly slammed back into his own body.

Still holding him with his head in her lap, Demon Anzu suddenly heard him inhale sharply. His back arched and his eyes shot open. Her sacrifice was still alive!

"Save them... I couldn't.. save..." He began to twitch and mumble.

It took a few seconds before he then realised he was back in the room where the ritual was taking place. He looked up to see Anzu holding him. His body was leaning across her lap as though she had been cradling him and it looked like she had been crying. Did this mean she was okay? "Anzu?!" The corners of his mouth twitched as a small, tentative smile appeared. He reached up to touch her face.

His moment of hope was short lived when she snarled and flinched away from his touch. He then saw the blackness of her eyes, the greyness of her skin and the pulsing veins on her face.

Despair threatened to overwhelm him.

::::::::::::

As the cracks in the floor grew, more wisps of smoke appeared. Creatures started to take form from the wisps of smoke, turning into seven foot tall Shadow Ghouls, with reptilian like skin and large Pitt Bull like heads, with snarling mouths that contained very sharp teeth. Their hands sported large claws made for shredding flesh. However, they lacked any intelligence and had poor eyesight, making them easy to dodge.

There was no more time to be horrified by Seto Kaiba's transformation.

Mahado shouted for Magus of Illusion to attack but one of the beasts protecting him took the blast instead, keeping Seto safe to continue the process of ascension.

When Demon Anzu saw what was happening to Seto, she shivered as her own desire to transform and ascend seized her.

Taking advantage of Yugi current position, she pulled out her own dagger and prepared to stab him.

As the dagger came down towards his chest, Yugi grabbed her wrist, stopping her from stabbing him, but as he reached up the dagger had still nicked his hand.

The ground had started to shake violently underneath them and Anzu lost her balance, falling to one side and dropping the dagger. Yugi fell on top of her. He managed to keep hold of the Puzzle in one hand and wasting no more time, he quickly put the rope over his head so that he would not lose it again..

Yugi suddenly spotted Mokuba cowering under the makeshift alter. He had feared the worst when Seto had screamed out his little brother's name from his soul room and Yugi was relived to see the boy was still alive.

"Mokuba?!" Yugi got the boy's attention. "Get out of here now! Run!" Too frozen with fear and suffering from his painful wounds, Mokuba did not react.

Mana and Atem heard Yugi shout and looked over to where Mokuba was hiding.

"We don't have long! You help Mokuba, I will help Yugi!" Atem shouted above the noise of the rumbling earth and screeching shadows. Mana nodded agreement.

She hurried over to Mokuba and quickly checked his injuries. She needed to stop the bleeding and heal his wounds. She was able to stem the bleeding, but her heka had not recovered enough from her previous exertion to heal the wounds completely.

"It's okay Mokuba, we will get out you of this, I promise." She took a deep breath and prepared to make a dash for it. They could definitely make it past the Seto demon and over to her brother and Ishizu.

Anzu scrabbled to get the knife she had dropped and came at Yugi again but the building was shaking violently now and she was struggling to stand up.

As he wrestled with Anzu, Yugi did not notice when a few drops of his own blood dripped from his hand onto the pentagram.

Atem was about to go and help his brother when the floor started to split apart beneath his feet. He was forced to jump out of the way and found himself backed up against the wall, several feet away from his brother. "Yugi?! We have to get everyone out of here, the building is about to collapse." He was unsure if Yugi heard him over the loud rumbling that sounded like an earthquake.

As Seto's transformation progressed, the building began collapsing around them. Knowing they would all be crushed by the debris or sucked into the abyss that was the Shadow Realm, Atem levered himself away from the wall before it fell on him and took a running jump at Seto, landing on his back. Using all of his human and demon strength, he tried to choke Seto enough that he might lose consciousness. It was a futile attempt, but it was better than doing nothing.

"Use the dagger Atem!" Ishizu shouted. "It is the only chance we have to save everyone." As she spoke, her own spirit Spira was already lifting her into the air and pulling her to safety.

"No! I won't kill him! Not while there is still a chance to save him." The dagger he was supposed to have used to bleed Mana onto the pentagram remained in its sheath on his belt.

"It's too late to save him! Do it Yami?!" Mahado yelled at him in frustration as his own Magus of Illusion chose to save him instead of allowing him to help Atem destroy the demon.

As Seto's body suddenly jerked upwards and Atem found himself unable to hold on. With a mighty roar the demon's body expanded and grew even larger. As it stretched itself to its full height, the building was blown apart and Atem found himself being thrown into the air.

Shielding Mokuba and acting purely on the instinct for survival, Mana had subconsciously summoned her spirit Ka. As the alter they were still hiding under crashed into the dark void forming in the ground underneath the house, Dark Magician Girl pulled Mana and Mokuba to safety, shielding them from harm with her protection spell.

Atem coughed as he pulled himself from under the debris. Apart from a few cuts and bruises, he was not badly hurt. His demon strength had protected him yet again. The building had gone and he was now kneeling on the dirt and rubble that was left. When he looked around all he could see was a dark swirling mass of shadows surrounding him. Some looked vaguely human, while others looked more like vicious animals. Their mouths were open, and they were screaming at him to join with them.

They might well have once been human, but with their humanity long gone and no bodies of their own, they were now nothing but evil spirits.

He was losing himself again and struggling to hold on to his human self. Part of him wanted to let them take him so he could embrace this wonderful new shadow world and he didn't know how long he could hold them off.

Seizing their opportunity the spirits started to wrap themselves round his body, pleading with him to become their master. To them, he was a powerful demon who could fulfil their desires and guide them in their aimless quest to become something other than disembodied evil spirits.

The struggle was painful and he fell to his knees as convulsions took hold of his body. "No! Never... I won't.. let.. you.. take me!" He growled, fists clenched over his ears.

Suddenly, he heard a voice from inside his head telling him to find Yugi. The voice was a deep calming baritone; a little like his own. But it wasn't _his_ voice. Or at least he didn't think it was.

" _You must find Yugi! Together you must unite with the Puzzle. It's our only chance to save mankind. I will try to help you my son!"_

"Father?!" His head shot up in surprise. Letting out a roar, Atem staggered to his feet and threw his arms up. "Leave ME evil spirits!" He bellowed. The evil spirits were ejected away from his body and screaming in anguish and hatred, they were thrown back into the swirling purple and black mist.

When the building had blown apart, Yugi and Anzu had been at the epicentre, right in front of Seto. A huge hole had opened up in the ground and Yugi and Anzu fallen in. The Puzzle glowed and Yugi felt light headed. Rather than them both falling into the abyss, they seemed to float and the flying debris did not harm them. He knew it was the Puzzle helping him and he did not feel afraid.

As if by _magic_ they ended up on a ledge, just under the rim of the large black pit that had opened up when the house disintegrated.

Yugi peered into the hole. All he could see was a mass of swirling shadow energy. It looked like Seto had succeeded in opening the Shadow Realm and now spirits and Shadow Ghouls were pouring from the Shadow Realm into this world. Yugi wondered how long it would be before they took over the entire world.

Beside him, Anzu was giggling madly. For a moment it occurred to him that she had lost it completely and was now totally insane. And then he realised that she was laughing at him. That was when he noticed the stab wound in his stomach. She must have stabbed him when he grabbed onto her to save her from the collapsing building! When he tried to move the blood oozed out from the stab wound and he felt a searing pain inside. He saw that Anzu had stopped laughing and was now starting to twist and scream in pain as the transformation started.

It was no use, he had failed to save Anzu. He might as well give up!

"Yugi!" He looked up to see his brother leaning over the edge of the crater. "Take my hand?"

"I.. I can't." He knelt up from his hunched position and pulled his hand away from the stab wound so that his brother could see it. "Yami.. Anzu's lost and I'm dying," he replied sadly, resigned to his fate.

"You're not dead yet! Use the Puzzle. Tap into its power and it can save you... and Anzu!"

"How? I'm too weak."

"No you are not.. Do it now, before it's too late. Our father told me..."

Yugi gasped. "Our father?!"

"Yes Yugi, he is with us... in our hearts. His soul is attached to the Puzzle and he is fighting with us.. Please Yugi, don't give up!" Atem cried desperately.

Yugi realised he had nothing to lose by at least trying. Anzu's body was now starting to make the permanent change into a demon. Very soon, she would no longer be human, but while the transformation was taking place, she was vulnerable. He threw himself at her and closed his eyes tightly, hanging on for dear life so that she could not throw him off.

The puzzle was pressed between their chests and Yugi felt it glow warmly between them.

The next thing he knew, he was in Anzu's bedroom. She had always kept her room tidy and clean, but the desk was smashed and her favourite ornaments were broken and strewn around the room. Her ballet leotard was shredded and abandoned on the floor. One wall had been replaced by the dark swirling energy of the Shadow Realm and it was rapidly advancing towards the last sanctuary that her room contained – the bed. There she was, hiding under the covers. He ran over and jumped into the bed with her. She was wearing her pink and blue silky pyjamas and was clutching her ballet slippers and the teddy he had won for her at the fun fair. She was also clutching the photograph of herself with him and all their friends. He remembered getting a stranger to take it during their trip to the seaside. She was curled up with her salvaged memorabilia, crying and shaking.

"Anzu, its okay, I'm here. You are safe now." If he could not save her then they would die together, in each others arms. He cuddled up to her and wrapped his arms around her.

"Yugi! You came for me. After all I have done... you came to save me." She slipped her arms around him and kissed him.

"I love you Anzu. I will never stop loving you." He peppered her face with affectionate kisses.

"I love you too Yugi." Everything was closing in around them as their lips met.

::::::::::::

Still trapped inside the Shadow Game, Jonouchi, Mai, Honda and Sugoroku had been unable to find Isono. The atmosphere inside their nightmare had suddenly changed.

"I think Seto might have succeeded," Sugoroku said sadly. He wondered what had happened to his grandsons. Was this their destiny all along? To die at the hands of the same creature their father and ancestors had?

"We're still alive! Which means it ain't over yet Gramps. And I still got this!" Jonouchi pulled out the Blue Eyes White Dragon card. It suddenly occurred to him that he might be able to use it to get them out of here.

"Yes, but how can you play it without a duel disk or a Millennium item?" Mai wondered.

"This is a Shadow Game. I have hunch the rules don't apply here. We gotta get outta here while there's still a chance." He still had faith that his friends were alive.

"Well, we have nothing left to lose!" Honda added.

"You could be right boys! It's worth a try, but... be careful! You saw what Yugi's monsters did when he summoned them. These monsters are powerful and you need a strong will to control them. And she is one of the strongest monsters."

"Don't worry Gramps, I got it." He held the card aloft and called to Seto's favourite dragon to come and help save them.

The ground started shaking and the darkness was suddenly split apart by a brilliant white light. There was an ear piercing screech and the Blue Eyes White Dragon emerged from the light.

She spread her wings and looked down upon them menacingly, preparing to strike them down. How dare they summon her.

"You better do something man, she looks pissed!" Honda cringed, pushing Jonouchi forward.

Jonouchi gulped. His legs were shaking but he squared up to her. "Blue Eyes White Dragon?! We need your help to save our friends. Your master Seto Kaiba is in great danger and needs you."

The dragon did not attack them and instead cried out in distress. She could feel the danger and sense her master was in pain.

"She looks upset!" Mai gasped. "Please help us? We are trapped in the Shadow Realm and can't find our friends. You have to help us save them!"

The dragon nodded and took off, flying in circles around them. She spat balls of white lightening at the Shadows and the shadows lifted until they found themselves back on the island.

However, while they might have escaped the game they were trapped in, they could not escape the fact that the whole island was now part of the Shadow Realm. In front of them they could see the devastation. Where the house had once stood, there was now a crater. Mahado, Ishizu and Mana were standing on the scorched field, shielding Mokaba from harm, while their spirit Ka's battled against ugly looking creatures that were protecting a huge demon, that had a reptilian like tail, powerful legs and torso and

with huge armour plated shoulders and a head that was like a bull with huge horns. It had dagger like teeth that seemed more suited to an alligator than a bull.

"Is that! Or _was_ that thing once Seto Kaiba?!" Honda gasped.

"Oh! Fuck!" Mai stood frozen in terror at the sight. "Now what do we do?"

"Where's Yugi and Yami?" Jonouchi and Sugoroku both cried at the same time. There was no sign of the two young men.

"Or Anzu!" Mai added.

"Come on, we gotta help them!" Jonouchi looked up at where the Blue Eyes was circling high above. She was under attack from Shadow creatures and was firing her white lightening attacks at them, destroying them and leaving holes in the shadows that revealed the normal star lit sky above. However, each hole she made quickly closed, to once more become part of the Shadow Realm.

Jonouchi wondered how far the Shadow Realm had extended itself. What if it was too late and could not be stopped?

Standing between them and the demon, was a growing army of Shadow creatures. Pulling out his own deck, Jonouchi decided to see if he could summon one of his own monsters to destroy them. He might not be a chosen one like Yugi and Yami, but he sure as hell wasn't going to give up fighting.

"Flame Swordsman," he called. To his surprise the swordsman appeared in front of him, awaiting orders.

Pulling out her own cards, Mai nudged him. "Don't just stand there dummy, tell him what to do?! Now let's see if I can do this too!" To her relief, she successfully summoned her Harpie Ladies and together with Jonouchi's Swordsman they started attacking the creatures.

Unfortunately, the Shadow Ghouls just kept on coming.

Now fully emerged as the new Zorc, the demon surveyed the island. He was now ready to expand his army around the world... Something irritating caught his attention when it shouted at him. "Hey! What have you done with Moneybags, you bug ugly jerk?" Jonouchi goaded and picked up a large rock and threw it at the demon...

It was that loser Jonouchi whom his host had disliked. **"Well, well, look what comes to annoy! I shall take great pleasure in..."** A large rock hit him smack in the face.

"Jonouchi! You idiot. Stop trying to make him angry? He will kill us," Mai screamed.

"You kidding!" Honda picked up a handful of rocks and started lobbing them. "Any distraction we can create so Mahado and our monsters can concentrate their attacks."

"Yeah, and we're gonna die anyway, may as well piss Moneybags off as much as we can," Jonouchi smirked." Unfortunately, the rocks did not do any damage to the demon.

" **Pathetic worms!"** The demon sneered down at them. **"I shall destroy you first!"** Raising its arm, it sent a fire ball at them.

"Garghhh!" They had no time to get out of its path!

"Cyber Shield!" One of Mai's Harpie Lady's appeared wearing her armour and took the attack. At the very last moment, Mai had saved them. However, even wearing the armour the Harpie Lady had been unable to survive the attack and was destroyed. "Arghh..." Mai collapsed to her knees in pain.

"Mai! What's wrong?!"

"It's okay Jonouchi. I felt the same pain my Harpie felt, that's all," Mai brushed his concern aside.

"You need to make sure your monsters are not destroyed. The stronger the monster the more pain you will feel!" Sugoroku warned.

"Yeah, I hear you Gramp's but we can't let that stop us!" The Blue Eyes White Dragon had now severed her link with Jonouchi and was acting of her own accord. There was one monster in his deck that he really needed to summon and it was right on the top of his deck. "Red Eyes Black Dragon, come on buddy I need you to help us?" There was a deafening screech and Red Eyes appeared from a vortex. It flew off into the blackened sky and started firing at anything it saw as a threat. "No! He's not listening! Red Eyes come back?!"

"No!" Mahado saw that the demon was now focussing its attack on Sugoroku, Jonouchi, Mai and Honda. There was nothing he, Ishizu or Mana could do because Zorc had them surrounded by Shadow Ghouls.

"Look everyone?! Your Red Eyes appears to be communicating with Blue Eyes!" Mai gasped as the two dragons swirled around one another.

"They are like Ying and Yang!" Ishizu called out to them.

Everyone watched in hope as both dragons swooped in together and blasted the demon with everything they had.

There was a strong burning smell of sizzling flesh and when the smoke cleared their hopes were dashed - the demon was still standing. Ripples of smoke wafted up from it's singed skin, but it was not badly hurt by the attack, which seemed to have taken a lot of energy from the two dragons. Jonouchi found it strange how he could feel his dragon's tiredness and disappointment at not being able to finish the demon off. His body sagged and he wanted to lie down.

" **Ha ha ha, pathetic mortals. You cannot even touch me."** The demon raised its hand as if to strike them down. However, the attack did not do any damage and Dark Magician Girl was easily able to deflect it away from them with her staff. Did this mean that the dragons combined had done more damage that the demon let on?

* * *

 **I hope that was intense! It sure was to write!**

 **Please Review.**


	37. Chapter 37

Sorry this has taken so long to do. I had no time at all to do any editing/writing while at Centre Parcs, as we were too busy with all the activities on offer. That, and catching Pokemon!

Anyway, here is the first part of the big finale! There is a little bit of swearing and mentions of death.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.

* * *

Broken Dreams

Chapter 37. Final Hours

Remaining alert of the dangers surrounding him, Atem crouched down and watched helplessly on as his brother embraced Anzu. Her transformation appeared to have been halted but neither of them were moving. His biggest fear was that their souls were being consumed by the Shadow Realm. He didn't know what he could do to help them but he needed to do something, and quickly.

Hearing a screeching sound, he looked up to see Red Eyes Black Dragon had joined the Blue Eyes White Dragon that had appeared a handful of minutes ago. Red Eyes was Jonouchi's monster, so did that mean he was on the Island and had somehow learned to summon his monsters?! Atem was intrigued to know who had successfully summoned Kaiba's Blue Eyes?! If they had even a slim chance of saving Seto Kaiba, that monster could be useful. In the meantime, his immediate priority was saving Yugi and Anzu.

Steeling himself, he jumped down onto the ledge on which they were huddled. He wrapped his arms firmly around the inert pair, shaking them slightly, as if trying to disturb them from slumber. "Listen to me? Yugi! Anzu! Fight the shadows, don't let them get you. If you can hear me? Run towards the sound of my voice." He closed his eyes tightly and willed them to defeat whatever nightmare they were trapped in. "Please... wake up! You have to live!" He gripped Yugi's shoulder and shook him again gently, but there was still no response. They were in a precarious position on the ledge and Atem could feel the evil exuding from the endless pit beneath them. He was starting to feel desperate and was thankful that he had defeated the demon that had been possessing him, otherwise he might have given himself up to the evil emanating from the pit.

Inside Anzu's ruined soul room, Yugi held her tightly in his arms as she sobbed into his chest. "It's okay Anzu, I'm here," he soothed, glancing nervously at the approaching shadows. They had almost taken the whole room now and were threatening to engulf the bed too - which was their last sanctuary. "You have to fight it Anzu! You have to beat the demon."

"Yugi! I can't! Leave me and save yourself while you still have a chance," she cried weakly.

"No! I won't leave you! If you die, I die with you. You can do this Anzu... if not for me, for everyone else who loves you? Your parents, our friends. If you give in and let the evil win, it will destroy everyone. You can defeat this... we can defeat it together." He closed his eyes tightly as the darkness closed in over them. He could feel it tearing at his soul and very soon, they would be gone.

The sound of a voice calling to him made him open his eyes again. It sounded like... "Yami!"

Yugi gasped and looked down at his chest. A brilliant light was coming from the Puzzle. The light engulfed them and he and Anzu found themselves back on the ledge. However, they were still surrounded by the Shadow Realm and in a dangerous situation.

"Y...Yugi! Where am I?" Anzu was whimpering and drifting in and out of consciousness.

When Yugi looked into her face and saw her eyelids flicker open he was relieved to see her cerulean blue eyes. "You did it Anzu, you beat the demon," he breathed out softly.

She smiled lovingly at him as he cradled her in his arms. Her voice was barely a whisper as she tried to thank him, but failed to get any words out, as she slipped away into unconsciousness.

"Anzu?! No...!" Tears burned Yugi's eyes. After her courageous effort, was her soul was losing the battle for survival anyway?

"Yugi! Look out?!" He felt his brother's body weight on himself and Anzu, pushing them into the side of the ledge. He looked over Atem's shoulder and saw that a swirling black mass of disembodied demon was trying to attack them. It was the demon that had been possessing Anzu and it was trying to get back into its host – or any host it could find! But as long as he wore the Puzzle and held onto Anzu it could not harm them.

"We won't let you take her!" Yugi yelled at the demon.

"Anzu is still alive but weak." Atem was able to detect a feeble pulse in her neck. "We need to get out of here Yugi! Can you move?" Atem was worried about the stab wound in Yugi's stomach, just above his navel.

Yugi shook his head. The exertion had been too much for him. The knife had angled upwards and to the right when it entered his body, puncturing internal organs and causing him to slowly bleed to death internally. He was not sure how much longer he could last.

Atem frowned at how pale his brother looked. Yugi suddenly coughed and vomited blood.

"No! Yugi!" Atem was starting to feel desperate. They were trapped on the ledge, surrounded by evil. He could probably climb up and get himself out, but there was no way he could lift Yugi and Anzu out and he was not going to leave them alone on the ledge, to die.

Yugi blinked and tried to focus his vision on his brother's face. He opened his mouth to try and talk, but gagged, spitting out more blood.

"Here!" Atem pulled a handkerchief from Yugi's tattered jacket pocket and wiped Yugi's mouth. Yugi smiled at him halfheartedly. "Yami... please.. take the Puzzle and save everyone. L... look after Anzu..."

"Yugi... n.. no.." Atem felt tears welling up in his eyes and sniffed emotionally, trying to choke them back. "Please.. you can't go, I can't do this without you..."

"D... don't cry Yami!" Yugi reached up with one hand and brushed away a tear. "Leave me, take the Puzzle and save Anzu." His voice was quiet and strained.

"I'm not leaving you." Atem took his brother's hand and squeezed it comfortingly.

"S.. summon a monster... I don't have any strength left.. Maybe you can.." Yugi coughed up some more blood.

"But I don't have my cards!"

"Th.. the Puzzle..."

"Of course...! The Puzzle can help me summon without cards! Why didn't I think of that?!" With everything going on, he had forgotten about the Puzzle's powers to summon monsters! Atem placed his hand on the Puzzle. He had no idea if it would work, but if the monsters had the same special abilities as they did in the card game then maybe... "Gift of the Mystical Elf! Please come to me?!" He called desperately.

He nearly cried out with joy when she appeared before him. "Yugi is hurt. Are you able to heal him?" The Elf was clearly nervous at being summoned into the opening to the hellish dimension of shadows and darkness, but gave a tentative nod and started humming an ethereal, magical song as she set to work.

Gently, she placed her hands on his abdomen and moved them slowly over his torso as her senses sought out the internal damage. Had he not been close to death he would have blushed, but he was too far gone to care. The ethereal song she was humming made him feel strange and almost euphoric. A warm, tingling feeling spread inside his body as the torn blood vessels and organs were repaired, and the blood leaking from his liver, into his body, was absorbed back into his bloodstream. All of a sudden he felt renewed and invigorated; just as he would after a good night sleep.

While the Elf worked her healing magic, Atem decided to call on another monster to destroy the dangerously persistent demon entity, and also to get them off this precarious ledge. There was one monster he knew he could really trust. It was his favourite – the Dark Magician.

Atem grinned when the mage appeared. "Hello my friend! Do you think you can protect us from that thing?" He gestured to the entity that was becoming more persistent in trying to re-possess the unconscious Anzu.

"My Pharaoh," Not realising that he was not actually the Pharaoh, but his son, Dark Magician bowed humbly before him. "I will protect you with my life." Using his Dark Magic Attack, he obliterated the demon entity, vanquishing it once and for all.

Sugoroku, noticed a sudden vibration from inside the pocket of his jacket where Yugi's cards were. The deck contained cards that both Atem and himself had given to Yugi to strengthen his deck and help him beat Kaiba in the tournament. The deck contained the hope and hearts of all three of them. He grabbed the leather pouch and flipped it open to see the Gift of the Mystical Elf card glowing. A second later, the Dark Magician started to glow. "My grandsons!" He gasped emotionally.

"What is it Gramp's?" Jonouchi asked. "Hey! Those are Yugi's cards!"

"Yugi forgot to take them with him when he went to meet Mana from work, so I thought I had better bring them along to give to him when he all met up at Mahado's, but in all the commotion I must have forgotten I had them! Oh dear! Old age," he said sheepishly.

"Never mind! You're a star Gramp's. If the cards are glowing then Yugi must be alive somewhere. All we gotta do is see where his monsters are and we find him!" Jonouchi exclaimed brightly.

"Look?! There!" Mana pointed, animatedly.

"My Master!" Dark Magician Girl squealed happily when she saw the Dark Magician.

They were unable to see the Mystical Elf as she was tending Yugi, but they could see that the Dark Magician was attacking and destroying something very evil.

"He's right over the entrance to that hole in the ground where all this evil stuff is coming from!" Honda observed with concern.

"Oh Crap! Yugi, Yami and Anzu might be trapped in that hole!" Jonuchi shouted. "I have to..." Before he could finish, Mai grabbed his arm.

"Are you crazy? You can't go in there! It's too dangerous!"

"You kiddin! This whole place is dangerous. I ain't leaving my friends Mai." He yanked his arm free and with his swordsman cutting down any Shadow Ghouls that tried to block his path, he ran over to where he hoped to find his friends.

"Jonouchi, wait for me?!" Mana and her Dark Magician Girl went with him. Mana needed to find her prince.

"Yami?!" Atem turned around when he heard Yugi calling him and saw that he was now perfectly healthy again. There was no sign at all of the wound – not even a scar! "Thank you," Yugi smiled gratefully to the Elf. She nodded, and weary from using her healing powers, she faded back into her own realm to recover her strength in case she was needed again.

"Yugi! Thank God! You're alright!" Atem hugged him. "How is Anzu? That demon entity is destroyed, she should be free now." While Atem felt a sense of relief for his brother, Anzu had still not woken up.

"We need to get her away from this place," Yugi said sadly.

"Hey! Guys?" Jonouchi appeared, peering over the ledge followed by Mana.

"Jonouchi! Mana!" Yugi was surprised to see Jonouchi was here on the island and relieved to see that Mana was unharmed.

"Get away from here now! Both of you. It's too dangerous!" Atem ordered. "This is the entrance to the Shadow Realm. If you fall in, you will be lost in eternal torment."

"We ain't goin anywhere until you get outta there," Jonouchi retorted.

"Prince?! Take my hands." The Dark magician Girl grabbed Atem and lifted him up. Meanwhile, Yugi held Anzu tightly in his arms and refused to let her go, so Dark Magician lifted them both off the ledge together, and away from the pit.

Once they were out, the group made their way to the others.

"Yugi! What has happened to Anzu?" Ishizu rushed forward to meet them, her face etched with concern.

"She defeated the demon but she won't wake up!" Yugi carefully laid her down on the ground.

"Yugi! Is she...?!" Mokuba worried, kneeling down next to him.

"She is still breathing, but I don't know if she's okay," Yugi mumbled tearfully. "I don't know if her soul has survived... Ishizu?!" He looked to her pleadingly.

Ishizu knelt down and gently laid one hand on Anzu's head and the other on her heart. She looked at Yugi's worried face and tried to reassure him as best she could. "Where there's life there is always hope. But her soul has suffered immensely and needs time to recover. I am hopeful that she will wake up, but I'm afraid I cannot say when that will be... I'm sorry."

Yugi nodded sadly. "I understand Ishizu.. It just seems so unfair," he mumbled.

Behind them, the battle was raging on and Mahado was beginning to tire. His Magus of Illusion had taken several hits and his life force was getting dangerously low. Things were becoming so desperate that Mahado was now considering merging with his Ka to become the Dark Magician and fight alongside his ancestor – the other Dark Magician, who had been summoned by Atem. With two powerful magicians and the two dragons fighting, they would stand more chance of victory. Mana realised what he was about to do and grabbed his arms to try and stop him.

"No! Mahado! You can't..." she cried. "Ishizu?! Stop him?! He's going to sacrifice himself to merge with his Ka!"

Ishizu leaped up and went to intervene but Mahado was adamant. "We are losing the battle, I have no choice if we are to stand any..." He was interrupted by Atem's commanding tone.

"No! I will not allow you to die. Your ancestor was my father's friend and he gave his life to protect my father. I will not let you do the same. This time, my father is not alone, he has Yugi and myself. This time we will succeed in destroying Zorc once and for all! " He looked at Yugi and their eyes met knowingly. It was strange, it was as if the spirit of their father was calling to them, guiding them somehow.

"Please can you look after Anzu for me Mokuba? There is something we have to do." He kissed Anzu gently on the lips and slowly stood, patting Mokuba on the shoulder.

"Yugi! Can you save Seto... please..?" Mokuba pleaded.

"I don't know. But I will do my best, I promise." Yugi smiled weakly. He did not want to get Mokuba's hopes up. The boy was clearly distressed, and after witnessing the devastation of Seto's soul room, Yugi did not know if his soul still existed. He walked over to join his brother. "Ready Yami?"

"Yes, there is not much time left, we have to hurry."

"Prince?!" Mana threw her arms around Atem and hugged him. "Please come back to me safely."

"I will Mana. I don't intend to die."

"Hey! What are you guys doing? I ain't gonna let you sacrifice yourselves! I'm coming with you." Jonouchi pushed between them.

"Sorry Jonouchi, but that is not possible." Atem pushed him aside. "This is one battle only Yugi and I can fight." Atem and Yugi gripped hands in solidarity and walked forward, leaving their friends aghast.

"Like fuck you are! I ain't gonna let you two do anything stupid!" Jonouchi angrily tried to protest, but Mai grabbed him.

"You have to trust them Jonouchi. It is their destiny."

"Destiny?! Bullshit!" He pulled himself free from Mai and this time Sugoroku and Honda stopped him.

"You must not interfere Jonouchi! The Gods and the spirit of their father are with them," Sugoroku said sternly. "Remember? Keep your hearts strong, my boys!" Sugoroku called out tearfully to his grandsons.

"Yeah, were rooting for you guys," Honda sniffed, placing his hand on Sugoroku's shoulder. "They will succeed Gramp's. I just know they will."

As Yugi and Yami stepped forward, the demon Zorc sneered and towered over them as it prepared to strike them down. **"I see that the Pharaoh's bastard offspring stand before me! If he could not destroy me, what makes you think two little worms like you will succeed?"**

"Because we have faith in our father to protect us!" Yugi gulped and called back.

"And we trust in our friends and family! What do you trust in... Zorc?" Atem spat out the demon's name derisively.

" **I don't need to trust in anything! I am all powerful! I will crush anything and everything that crawls before me. I am GOD! Prepare to die, worthless humans!"** Zorc raised his hand, ready to fire a blast that would obliterate the two princes.

Even though he was terrified, Atem squeezed Yugi's hand gently to give him some courage. Yugi glanced at his brother nervously, and lifted the Puzzle in his free hand. Atem deftly raised his free hand and placed it over the Puzzle and together they lifted the Puzzle out in front of them.

Meanwhile, Jonouchi was still prepared to do whatever he could to help. "Come on Red Eyes?! Everyone?! Let's protect them while they do whatever it is they gotta do!" He yelled out.

Before the blast could leave Zorc's hand, the Red Eyes Black Dragon swooped in to attack. At the same time the Blue Eyes White Dragon attacked as well. The demon was forced to aim the blast at the dragons instead instead of Yugi and Atem.

The dragons tried to dodge but the blast caught Red Eyes in his side, sending him spinning into the ground, severely injured. Jonouchi screamed out as he felt his dragon's pain and collapsed to the ground, gasping for air.

"No! Jonouchi." Mai rushed to support him.

"No! Red Eyes Black Dragon..." Jonouchi cried out sadly. "I'm okay Mai. It's Red Eyes we have to worry about." He took her hand. They could only watch on from a distance as the Red Eyes Black Dragon was re-claimed by his own realm.

Luckily, the Blue Eyes managed to hit Zorc with her own attack. The demon appeared slightly stunned for a moment and sensing an opportunity the Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl mounted simultaneous attacks on Zorc, but although the demon flinched and had scorch marks to its body, it still stood. The demon let out a mocking laugh.

" **Pathetic humans. None of you can touch me! I defeated the Pharaoh's whole army. The pathetic Pharaoh cried out in pain for the destruction to stop but I just laughed at him. I have the advantage because I fear nothing and have no silly sentimental attachments. The Pharaoh was so desperate to save his kingdom that he gave his soul to send me back to the Shadows! And while his soul was crushed and consumed, I have risen once again!"** More evil laughter erupted from the demon as it raised its hand, ready to strike them down with a blast of shadow energy. **"I will never be defeated!"**

"Don't be so sure of that!" The commanding sound of the Pharaoh's voice seemed to emanate from where the two princes were standing.

" **Huh!"** The demon seemed slightly taken aback for a moment.

"MY SOUL LIVES ON!" The sound of the Pharaoh's voice seemed to surround the two princes.

Yugi and Atem held the Puzzle aloft. "Our father was with us all along!" They chorused emotionally.

They closed their eyes and started chanting in an ancient language that neither of them knew but somehow rolled off their tongues, as if they had always known it:

" _Oh great Gods of Egypt hear our plea? We are Atem and Yugi Mutou; sons of the chosen Pharaoh Atem. We ask that you grant us your power, so that we may join together with our father in defeating the evil demon known as Zorc; which once again threatens to destroy all living things. Please release our father from the Puzzle so that he may bring his strength into our hearts and together we will banish Zorc once and for all into the darkness of the underworld."_

As they spoke, the Puzzle glowed so brightly that they had to close their eyes. They were unaware of the brilliant flames of golden light that started surrounding them. Jonouchi scooped Anzu up and carried her to safety as everyone was forced to take steps backwards to shield themselves from the intensity of the light.

Everyone gasped as the flames of golden light flicked outwards, touching their skin. They thought they would be incinerated but the light was surprisingly cool.

Inside the brilliant epicentre of the light, Yugi and Atem were joined by their father, who stood protectively in front of them in his full Egyptian finery, arms outstretched, his cape billowing out behind him. There was very little time for the three to enjoy an emotional reunion because the world was in peril, but the two boys did manage to gasp out "Father?!" To which the vision in front of them responded by turning slightly to glance at them, smiling warmly.

"My sons. Join with me and together we shall defeat this evil." The two princes felt reassured as they stepped forward to stand, one either side of their father. He placed an arm around each of them and they felt their spirits melt into his essence as their souls became one powerful godlike soul. It was not a painful transition, but a warm comforting one. Like two small boys curling up in the arms of their father as he read fairy-stories to them at bedtime.

Neither Yugi or Atem had any real idea of what was happening, but they felt as though a massive burst of energy had somehow erupted from within their bodies. Everything was golden one moment and then white hot flame the next. But to them the flame felt cool and soothing.

They were both fully aware of the demon towering in front of them looking slightly surprised as it was incinerated into nothingness.

Shielding their faces from the bright light, their friends and family watched on in sheer amazement as the two brothers and what appeared to be the vision of the Pharaoh, merged to become one glowing being, with wild tri-colour hair adorned with a flaming crown depicting the wings of the Sun God Ra. With his strong arms reaching outwards, he looked almost as large as Zorc. The Godlike apparition still wore the Puzzle; it was resting against his bronzed, muscular chest, while the Eye of Horus appeared on his forehead. The lower half of the body was adorned in a golden kilt, with flames of light licking up his strong legs. The three had become a God.

"Holy crap! What the fuck just happened?!" Jonouchi gasped as he watched Zorc burn.

"I don't know." Mana had her hands clasped together in front of her face, almost in prayer.

Dark Magician Girl was in awe of the sight before her. "They have merged together to become a God," she informed them, kneeling, head bowed.

"Not any God, the Creator God... Atum," Mahado and Ishizu breathed, mesmerised by the vision before them.

Jonouchi did not care for Gods or Atum, or whatever they now were. All he wanted now that Zorc was dead, was for his friends to come back safely!

* * *

 **Yay, the Pharaoh has appeared. I hope you enjoyed, and there will be more of Pharaoh Atem in the next chapter. It might even be a weepy.**

 **Please review.**


	38. Chapter 38

Getting close to the end of this story now! Possibly two more chapters to go, but the surprises will continue;-)

Warning: Some swearing and violence.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.

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Broken Dreams

Chapter 37. By the Sin of Our Teeth

The Blue Eyes White Dragon, circled above them frantically, visibly excited by the appearance of the God Atum. She was bathed in beauty by the light given off by the God, causing her scales and wings to shine even brighter, her brilliance banishing any shadows that still dared to linger in the sky and allowing the new day to dawn.

As the demon below her was incinerated by Atum, she let out an agonised cry when she felt the remnants of Seto's soul being torn away with the demon and sucked into the Shadow Realm, along with the darkness and all of the vile creatures it had spawned.

As the entrance to the Shadow Realm started to shrink inwards and collapse into itself, she took her chance, angling her body, she folded her wings to her sides to form a dart and dived straight into the opening in search of Seto. Seconds later, the Shadow Realm closed behind her, leaving not a trace, except for a crater in the ground.

::::::::::::

Outside the advancing Shadow Realm, Nato had been hastily gathering its forces. An urgent meeting had been called between world leaders to discuss what could be done to deal with the slowly expanding dark mass, that was now getting dangerously close to mainland Japan.

It was quickly revealed that the mass had originated from a small island owned by Seto Kaiba.

Scientists were describing the mass as a convergence of Dark Matter because they could not think of any other explanation for what it could be!

All around the world, reports were coming in of sudden storms and lightening strikes. Emergency services were being swamped with people ringing in to report seeing ghosts. Casualty departments were filling with people who had been attacked by what they described as real monsters.

A Kaiba Corp. spokesperson was quick to dispel rumours that it was an experiment to test a new virtual reality game that had gone wrong. However, suspicion was still growing because both Kaiba brothers were missing, and so was their bodyguard. No one was aware that anyone else was missing with them at this stage.

By four in the morning, China was demanding that a missile offensive against the mass should be considered because their coastlines were also under threat from the advancing cloud. They were prepared to act without the consent of other countries if need be.

A drone was launched into the mass with a camera attached, but all the camera footage had shown was dark swirling black and purple mist. Moments before it went offline, the drone's camera picked up something that appeared to be a phantom like apparition, with a yawning mouth full of sharp teeth. It appeared the drone had been eaten!

A solution needed to be found and Panic was growing.

A small boat carrying special forces commandos was sent to patrol the perimeter of the mass in the hope of finding a weakness. As it sat in the choppy water, the mass suddenly moved outwards again swallowing the small craft. All that was heard from the radio communications was the fearful shouts of the soldiers, followed by a burst of gunfire, and then nothing. The last thing that was picked up on the communication was.. " _What the hell...?! Arrggh."_ Followed by static.

When the recording was played back by experts, they were convinced they heard an evil growl that could not be attributed to any known animal. The best description they could come up with was a Banshee!

All along the coastlines, people were being woken up in the early hours, to the reality that they would need to flee their homes in an effort to escape – if there was any possible escape!

Just as it seemed that a disaster on an epic scale was about to unfold, the mass suddenly dispersed as if it had been sucked into an invisible vortex, leaving the small island that it had been covering, charred and stripped of all vegetation.

Two helicopters containing elite special forces were dispatched to the island to investigate.

::::::::::::::

As the brilliant white and gold light subsided, Jonouchi slowly opened his eyes. In place of the darkness the sun was beginning to rise, hailing the start of a new day. All the Shadow Ghouls and phantoms were either destroyed by the light or sucked back into the shadow Realm.

"Yeah... Yuge, Yami, you did it guys... Guys! Where..?! Huh!" Jonouchi's voice faltered when he saw that there was no sign whatsoever of Yugi or Atem.

Beside him, Mana let out a despairing cry. "Where are they?"

"I dunno! What the hell's going on?!" Jonouchi was beginning to panic.

Blinking and trying to adjust to the daylight, Mai uncurled herself from her crouching position on the ground and gazed around in confusion. She was not too sure what was going on either. Only moments ago, everything had appeared lost. Monsters had been advancing on them and they were running out of options to defend themselves. Yugi and Yami had stepped up to confront Zorc and a blinding light had shone from them. "We are still alive!" She gasped. "What happened?"

Beside her, Honda was blinking and rubbing the debris from his blurry eyes. "Didn't you see what happened Mai?!"

"No! I had my eyes shut! I value my eyesight," Mai retorted.

"The monsters! They've gone!" Ishizu uncharacteristically shrieked. "Pharaoh Atem! He appeared.. He saved us!" Her voice was trembling with emotion as she clung to Mahado.

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, not caring that tears were rolling down his cheeks. "Yes... it appears Yugi and Yami joined with him and have sacrificed themselves to save everyone."

"My grandsons." Behind them, Suguroku was slumped on the ground. "Yugi... Yami..." His croaky, emotion filled voice faltered as tears started to fill his eyes.

Jonouchi was quickly at his side. "Gramp's!" He sniffed. "We'll find them! We will search the whole damned island... They have gotta be okay, right?!" He looked around frantically for any sign of them, but there was nothing, only the devastated, charred landscape that had previously been a lush, green, tropical island.

Mokuba staggered to his feet. "Seto?! Big brother...?!" He called out at the top of his voice, but his brother did not answer him. With frightened, tear filled eyes, he scanned the devastated landscape for any sign of Seto.

"They have to be somewhere on this island." Honda refused to believe they could just vanish.

"Yugi?! Yami?! Answer me guys?!" Jonouchi yelled, fists balled. Only a few moments ago they had been a few feet in front of him – they couldn't be that far away.

"Mahado?!" Mana looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "Please, we have to find them?! You must know where they are... Ishizu?"

"I'm sorry Mana. We know as much as you do," Ishizu said softly.

"I don't believe they are dead as such. I believe they may have been taken by the Gods... I'm sorry Mana, I have no idea how to get them back ." Mahado put his arm around his sister.

"Well, wherever they are, I ain't leaving without my friends and I refuse to believe they can't come back. Gramp's you stay here with Mokuba and look after Anzu while the rest of us search," Jonouchi ordered.

"I'm coming too," Mokuba pouted.

"Not until we have tended your wounds," Ishizu told him firmly. The bleeding had been stopped earlier by Mana, but the cuts were still open and full of dirt. "If not dealt with, they will become badly infected."

"But..."

"No arguments. It will take but a minute. Mahado or Mana can use their heka to fully heal them."

Within seconds, Mahado had healed the deep cuts to Mokuba's chest, hand and wrist, leaving not a single scar.

"Wow! That's amazing!" Mokuba touched where the painful injuries had been and found the skin was smooth and unblemished. He immediately ran to join in the search.

::::::::::::

When Seto opened his eyes, he found he could not see anything other than black mist swirling around him. Every now and again he would see hints of red or purple, but apart from that there was nothing. The air was choking and foul with decay.

The distant noise of a screaming, howling wind kept drawing closer to him, before fading away into the distance again, only to start the process of closing in and tormenting him all over again.

He was totally naked, and when he touched his body, it felt cold and sticky with some sort of slimy residue.

"Where the fuck am I...?" When he called out, his voice was carried away by an invisible force to join with the howling, sorrowful wind. Shit, he must be in Hell!

He collapsed to his knees again and thumped the ground – only to find there was no ground. He must be floating somehow! "This cannot be happening..." he shrieked, his voice mingling with the other pitiful, tormented cries of lost souls, trapped forever in the Shadow Realm.

He could feel his body slowly being consumed by the slime and he knew without a doubt, that within days, maybe even hours, his body would be gone, leaving him as nothing more than just another tortured lost soul. He had to find a way out of here! Only, there was no way out – he was doomed.

Just as all hope started to fade, he heard a woman's voice softly calling him. "Seto... Seto.." He smiled and felt at peace as a white light gently embraced him.

::::::::::::

After they had joined with their father to destroy the demon, Yugi and Atem found themselves standing in the middle of the desert. They were surrounded by sand and the sky was a brilliant blue.

When Atem bent down to touch the sand, he found that it was not really sand, but a cool smooth substance that rippled when his hand brushed over it. Come to think of it, this whole place did not seem real. It was neither warm nor cold and there was no breeze. It was almost as if the whole thing was a mirage!

The place felt sterile and clean, making them feel out of place. They were both covered in dirt, sweat and grime. Yugi's chest was exposed where his clothing had been torn. He had lost his coat and what remained of his shirt was stained with his blood. Atem was not much better. His leather trousers were ripped at the knees and his black tank top was hanging in shreds. Dried blood coated him and he sported several fresh cuts and bruises.

"Where are we Yami? And where's our father gone?" Yugi asked. He did not expect his brother to know but felt comforted by hearing himself speak.

"I don't know. Maybe we're dead!" Came the honest answer.

"Please, don't say that." Yugi gave a nervous laugh. Maybe his brother was right and they _were_ dead.

"HELLO!" Atem yelled. "Whoever you are, whatever you are.. show yourself?" He demanded forcefully.

"What have you done with our father?" Yugi added.

"I'm right here." They both spun round at the sound of a deep baritone voice immediately behind them.

They stood and stared in stunned awe at the sight of their father Pharaoh Atem, who was standing before them in his full Egyptian finery. His royal blue cape was draped over his tanned shoulders and even without any breeze, it billowed out behind him. A golden crown adorned his head, with wings that resembled the wings of Horus blending in with his wild tri-coloured hair. Golden bangles finised off his majestic appearance. "I'm sorry if I startled you."

Both young men looked down at their own tattered appearances and felt embarrassed and ashamed.

"Sorry, we're in a bit of a mess..." Yugi muttered.

"I guess as your father, I should admonish you for ruining your clothing," the Pharaoh smirked at them in amusement. "But I am proud of you both my sons. You fought bravely."

"Th.. thank you..." Yugi's face coloured at being called brave and he stumbled over the words he was trying to say.

"Father!" Atem muttered emotionally.

"My sons, it is good to meet you both properly at last." Pharaoh Atem averted his eyes just for a second before fixing them both with a warm smile. The boys could have sworn that just for a second they saw a hint of sadness and regret in his eyes. "I am sorry that you have been brought here. But I wanted to speak to you both before I leave."

"Leave! But we just met!" Yugi cried out.

"Where is here?" Atem asked cautiously. "Are we in the afterlife? Please tell us we're not dead, are we?!"

"Not quite. Let me explain. This is a place that exists between the living world and the underworld. We have been brought here for our hearts to be weighed against our sins. We will then be granted our place in the afterlife or banished to the Shadow Realm for our souls to be devoured."

"But we're not dead. We can go back, can't we?" Yugi fretted.

"You are not dead, you still have the option to return should you wish to. But I am long dead, which is why the Gods brought you here with me... so that we may say goodbye."

"Why can't you stay? Surely the Gods can fix it, like they did when you met our mother!" Atem pleaded hopefully.

"My mortal life ended a long time ago, I do not belong in the realm of the living. Three thousand years ago, I was chosen by the Gods to defeat the creature my uncle and father unwittingly released from the shadows. Unfortunately, my mortal life was the price I had to pay. When I sealed Zorc, my soul was trapped inside the Millennium Pendant. The Pendant was then broken into a Puzzle and placed inside my tomb. The Gods feared that the evil was not fully vanquished and would rise again, so they manipulated certain... rules for me to return. However, they could only give me corporeal form for a short time so that I might.." a slight blush appeared on his cheeks, "do my duty with your mother. Leaving a woman to raise my children by herself is an unforgivable sin, but I had no choice. Neither did I know that our liaison would result in the birth of twins. Even the Gods can't control everything that happens." There was a hint of guilt in his voice.

"Oh, great! So I was an afterthought," Yugi mumbled bitterly. This prompted his brother to place a comforting arm round his shoulders.

"You were never an afterthought Yugi! If it wasn't for you, we would all be dead by now. I was the one that screwed up by getting myself possessed by a demon."

Pharaoh Atem smiled. "Yes, that _was_ an error of judgement on your part, it is a good job I was able to intervene and help free you." He cleared his throat. "I also had a twin, his name was Heba, but he..." His words faltered at the terrible memory of his brother's mutilated body. A sad smile graced his features as he studied Yugi. "Maybe it is fate that you are here Yugi... you remind me of my brother. Like you, he had courage and a belief that good would always prevail.. He was a good man..."

"I wish we could meet him..." Yugi muttered quietly.

"He is always here." Pharaoh Atem touched his heart and then reached forward and touched Yugi's chest. "In our hearts." Yugi deftly placed his hand over his father's hand, feeling the warmth and comfort of his touch. He wanted to cry for all the years they had missed, not knowing him, but did not want to appear a sissy so he remained stoic.

After a moment of reflection, Atem asked. "So, what happens next? How long have we got?"

"I am afraid I have to leave you very soon, but I leave in the knowledge that Heba and myself live on in the hearts of you both." He smiled warmly. "Live well my sons." He opened his arms in a gesture that welcomed them both into his embrace.

Both boys were moved to see the tears that welled up in their father's eyes. There were few who would ever witness a mighty Pharaoh shedding tears.

"Look to the night sky and you will find me shining down on you."

"How will we know which star is you?"

"You will know, trust me."

As the bright light of the desert faded to leave the devastated landscape of the island, they felt him melt away, until, in his place was a golden hawk. They were unable to hold onto the bird as it flew into the delicate, eggshell blue sky, directly towards the rapidly rising sun.

Jonouchi shielded his eyes as he suddenly heard the shrill call of the bird. Both he and Honda gasped in disbelief at the luxurious plumage, They tried to track its path but the sun blinded them and they lost sight of it before it vanished. "Wow! Did you just see that?!"

"Yeah, I did," Honda began thoughtfully. "And that's not all I see!" His eyes were drawn to where Yugi and Yami were now standing, several feet away from them with their arms wrapped around each other, foreheads touching. "Hey! Guys, you're okay!" Jonouchi ran over to where they stood and threw his arms around them.

Both nodded with their foreheads still touching. "Yeah, we saw our father," Atem half smiled and blinked away his tears as he spoke quietly.

They were joined by an exuberant Honda, who almost rugby tackled his three friends causing them all to end up in a heap on the ground.

As the boys untangled themselves and stood up, Mana came running over and jumped into Atem's arms. "Prince! You're safe!" She cried in relief, kissing his face. He held her tightly, comforted that after everything he had put her through, she still loved him.

Hopeful that the Gods might reward their victory by helping Anzu to wake up, Yugi ran over to where she lay. "We did it Anzu!" He knelt down and cradled her in his arms. "We're all safe, so you can wake up now, please..." She remained unresponsive.

"I'm afraid she still hasn't woken up," Ishizu said, joining him. "May I ask where you went and what you saw?" She felt guilty for asking at an inappropriate time, but had spent her whole life learning about ancient beliefs and was desperate to know if what she had learned was correct.

"We went to this place... We saw our father..." he replied with an emotional smile. "Anzu still won't wake up." His breath hitched slightly as he sought to keep himself together.

"Come on Yugi, we should get off this island and get Anzu somewhere she can be properly cared for." Sugoroku gripped his shoulder.

"Yes, okay Grandpa. But how? The helicopter has been destroyed."

"We have a boat down by the jetty," Mai answered. "Come on, I don't want to stay on this island any longer than I have to."

"Okay." Yugi nodded and gently lifted Anzu in his arms, bridal style.

They were interrupted when they heard Mokuba calling out desperately. "Seto?! Seto's still missing. I'm not leaving until we find him!"

"What?! Kaiba's still missing?!" Yugi gasped, feeling guilty that he had forgotten all about Seto.

"We must find him before we leave." Atem added. "Ishizu! Mahado! Is there anything you can do to save him?"

"We don't know. We thought you and Yugi were lost. But Seto's situation is different. His soul may have been consumed by the Shadow Realm," Ishizu said sadly.

"If that is the case then I'm afraid there is nothing we can do. I'm sorry Mokuba." Mahado looked apologetically at the younger Kaiba.

"What?!" Jonouchi yelled. "Look, I might not think much of that stuck up jerk but I ain't gonna just give up and let the Shadow Realm take him."

"Can one of us send our Ka into the Shadow Realm to try and find him?" Mana asked her brother.

"Theoretically yes. Our Ka are capable of transcending the different realms. But it is full of risk. If a Ka were to be trapped in an illusion that it cannot escape from, then its body would be left without a soul and slowly die," he explained.

"Hey! Did any one see where the Blue Eyes White Dragon went?" Jonouchi held up the blank card.

"These two returned," he showed them the card depicting the picture of his Red Eyes Black Dragon and the other with his Flame Swordsman. "But Blue Eyes has vanished!"

"Really! Let me see?" Mahado took the card from him.

"You don't think?" Sugoroku looked over to where the crater was still smouldering.

"What?!" Mokuba wailed.

"It's okay Mokuba," Mai comforted. "Will you lot just say what you mean? Can't you see Mokuba is upset?" she scolded angrily.

"Yes, Grandpa, Mahado. Please, tell us your theory?" Atem fixed his gaze on the pair.

"We believe that Kaiba's favourite monster is connected to him far more deeply than we anticipated. She may have gone into the Shadow Realm to find him," Sugoroku explained.

Everyone turned and stared at the crater, willing the dragon to find its beloved master.

The sound of helicopters approaching made them all jump. "Oh man! What are they doing here?" Honda grimaced as military helicopters circled overhead. He wouldn't put it past them to start firing at them!

"I think it was inevitable that the island would draw attention. We have no idea how far the Shadow Realm reached, or what damage it has caused." Ishizu shielded her eyes as the helicopters touched down and several special forces soldiers surrounded them suspiciously.

"Oh crap! They think we're responsible," Jonouchi groaned.

"Unfortunately, some of us are," Atem grimaced at the thought.

"Leave it to me," Mai said. "Thank goodness you have come to save us," she wailed in her best maiden in distress voice. "We have been held hostage on this island.." She wasn't able to finish.

Machine guns were pointed at them as the soldiers started yelling at them to lie flat on the ground with their arms stretched out where they could be seen.

Terrified that they were about to be shot, everyone did as they were told.

Still holding Anzu against his body, Yugi lay on the ground next to his brother and they looked at each other desperately. "Now what do we do?" He whispered to Atem.

Atem was just about to whisper back that he didn't know when they were both kicked in the back, between the shoulder blades by large boots. "Shut the fuck up. You don't talk unless we tell you. Got it?"

"Yes," Yugi squeaked and nodded. He let out a yelp when Anzu was pulled away from him.

"What's wrong with her?!"

"P.. please don't hurt her, she is not well," he tried to plead as rough hands started patting down his body, looking for weapons.

Mai shrieked at the soldier searching her to get his perverted hands off her and stop groping her. His response was to pull her by the hair and slap her. "Shut up bitch."

Jonouchi leaped to his feet. "Get your fucking hands off her you bastard!" He received heavy blow to the abdomen and a boot to the side of his head in response. He lay on the ground groaning.

"No Jonouchi!" Honda had trained as a reserve for the Japanese Defence Force and had always been interested in the military – he knew how the special forces operated. They were probably being viewed as potential terrorists and would be sent for interrogation. The rough handling was meant to intimidate them and make them compliant. He needed to get through to them that they were not terrorists. "I am a member of the JDF... Everyone else here are Japanese civilians. We..." He nearly choked when he was hauled up by the collar and dragged towards the helicopters for questioning.

"Are you JDF?" The man started shouting at him.

"Well, a civilian reserve." Honda nodded and gave his full name rank and number.

Yugi took the risk of looking up and saw what was happening to Honda. "Please you have to believe us. We didn't do this. We were trying to stop it and we succeeded." He was desperately trying to get across to them that they were innocent.

One of the soldiers grabbed him and hauled him to his knees. "Innocent eh! Well if that's the case you have nothing to worry about." Yugi flinched and closed his eyes, fully expecting a bullet in the head, but the soldier just laughed at him and let him go, roughly shoving him back down in the process.

"You are all to be taken for questioning," the commander shouted. "None of you will be released until we find out exactly what went on here."

They were all ordered to get up so that they could be taken off the island.

Mokuba had stopped crying and had found his voice. Wiping his face on his sleeve he responded to the soldiers demands defensively. "I am Mokuba Kaiba Vice President of Kaiba Corporation. My brother Seto owns this island and you are all trespassing. We were here with a group of our friends when we were attacked by a mysterious force. My brother is still missing and I'm not going anywhere until I find him."

"That so is it kid?!" The commander loomed over Mokuba. "So Kaiba Corp. _is_ responsible for this mess, is it?" He called two of his men. "Organise a unit to search this island and the surrounding sea? Seto Kaiba can't have got far."

"No... you don't understand! It took Seto," Mokuba cried.

"Mokuba, I should keep quiet. You are making things worse for your brother. They think he is the cause of all this," Sugoroku tried to calm the teen.

"Last I checked, he was!" Mai hissed under her breath.

Just at that moment the ground started shaking. "Shit! An earth quake!" One of the soldiers shouted.

"No! It's not an earth quake! Everyone, get as far away from the crater as you can!" Atem yelled. In particular, at the two soldiers who were standing right over it, looking in at the moving earth, guns ready.

A bright light suddenly erupted from the crater.

"Quickly! Get everyone away from here," the commander ordered, and everyone started running towards the waiting helicopters as quickly as they could.

There was a loud screech as the Blue Eyes White Dragon burst from the Shadow Realm. Everyone stopped and stared.

"What the fuck is that?!" The commander shouted.

The soldiers raised their machine guns and prepared to fire at the dragon as it shot into the sky and circled over head. Jonouchi screamed. "Don't shoot, don't shoot! She won't hurt you unless you attack her!"

Atem launched himself at a soldier who had begun firing, knocking the machine gun from his hand and sending the round clattering into the metal body of a helicopter. "Don't fire! She has a human soul!" He screamed at the man.

There was chaos as everyone tried to stop the soldiers from shooting the dragon.

Sensing the threat the dragon swerved out of the way of the gunfire and sent a defensive ball of white lightening towards the helicopter nearest the soldiers, completely obliterating it and sending everyone diving for cover.

When everyone had recovered, the dragon had vanished from the sky. The solders were all scanning the air and surrounding landscape, looking for something to kill!

"Where did she go?" Mana was worried.

"Over there guys." Yugi took off running towards her, with Mokuba right behind him. Several hundred metres away, the dragon was on the ground and appeared to be wounded.

"It's okay girl." Yugi stroked the dragon's head. "I won't let them hurt you." The Blue Eyes lifted her head and leant into his touch. He noticed that tears were starting to fall from her eyes.

Mokuba, Jonouchi and Mai stood in front of the dragon protectively to stop the advancing soldiers from shooting her. "You wanna shoot her?! Then shoot us first?" Jonouchi snarled.

"What is that thing?" The commander demanded to know.

"It looks like a Duel Monster Sir." One of the soldiers told him.

"Yeah, Sir. I have seen that monster. Seto Kaiba played it when I took my kids to watch a duel!"

"That is right, she is the Blue Eyes White Dragon and your trigger happy attitude has wounded her," Ishizu informed them.

The commander grunted in response, but faltered when he say the dragon was crying. "Hold your fire men," he ordered, trying and failing to keep a small amount of emotion from his voice.

Meanwhile Mahado and Mana went to tend the stricken Blue Eyes. Her wing was shredded where three bullets had ripped through it, tearing ligaments and causing her to crash land. The dragon snorted that she trusted them to help her.

"I hope you remember the healing spell I taught you Mana?" Mahado winked at his sister. It was time to let her prove her skills on her own.

"Of course I do," she stated confidently.

The soldiers all watched on in stunned amazement as Mana touched the injured wing and began to utter an ancient healing incantation, that quickly started to repair the damaged wing.

No one was aware, that concealed underneath her body, the Blue Eyes White Dragon was protectively clutching the unconscious body of Seto Kaiba.

As Yugi, who had now been joined by Atem, comforted her, the dragon let out a small snort that they could have sworn was a 'thank you.' "She's going to be alright," Yugi smiled up everyone.

Atem nodded and addressed the recovering dragon. "Is Seto safe?" She shifted her body slightly and made a groaning sound.

Now that her wing was almost fully healed she was strong enough and ready to transform into her human form. Everyone stepped back slightly as she began to glow and change right before their eyes, to become a slender, fair skinned woman, with bright blue eyes and long white blonde hair. In her arms, she cradled the naked, unconscious Seto Kaiba.

"She turned into a woman!" Jonouchi gasped.

"That is Kisara, the young woman who's soul was rumoured to be a powerful Dragon Goddess." Rumours about her had been passed down through generations of tomb keepers and Ishizu felt honoured to be in her presence.

"SETO!" Mokuba called his brothers name with a mixture of happiness at seeing his brother and desperation for not knowing if he was alive.

"He is weak, I don't know if his soul will survive." Kisara looked up at them sadly, with the tears she had cried as a dragon still staining her face.

"Hello Kisara." Smiling at the young woman, Mahado knelt down and felt Seto's pulse. "His pulse is weak and he is very cold. Can someone get a blanket or something to warm him up?"

None of the soldiers could truly believe what they had just witnessed, but their aggression towards everyone had subsided a little. They were starting to believe that they were not a threat.

"Get a medi kit over here immediately?" The commander ordered.

Mahado could see that Kisara was struggling to hold her form in this world. "It is okay Kisara, we will take good care of him."

"Thank you." She began to shimmer as her form started to fragment into thousands of tiny blue and white twinkling stars.

"Jonouchi, the card," Mai prompted him.

"Oh!" He pulled the card from his pocket and they watched as the tiny stars flew into the card. As they did so the image of the Blue Eyes White Dragon reappeared on the card.

Jonouchi put his arm around Mai and smiled at her. She leaned into him and kissed him. "You know, I used to think Kaiba was a bit weird for being obsessed with a dragon, but now I understand why." She sniffed as tears filled her eyes.

"Where'd the woman go?" The commander demanded to know. Jonouchi held up the Blue Eyes White Dragon card and said simply. "Home."

* * *

 **I hope you enjoyed the tearful moments.**

 **Please review.**


	39. Chapter 39

Sorry for delay in posting - again! Been sidetracked yet again.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.

* * *

Broken Dreams

Chapter 39 Fallout

Everyone was nervous as the medic tended to Seto Kaiba. Unlike Anzu, who although unconscious, was at least breathing normally and maintaining a strong heartbeat, Kaiba was not doing too well.

"His heart rate is very erratic! We need to get him warmed up and off this island to a medical facility, urgently."

"He's going to be alright though?" Mokuba desperately enquired, refusing to leave his brother's side as the comatose CEO was wrapped warmly and strapped onto a stretcher. A drip was attached to his arm to give him vital fluids.

"I cannot say," the medic informed him. "He is in a worse condition than the young lady. She is stable, but he is very cold, dehydrated and weak."

"Sir!" One of the helicopter pilots came running over. "I'm afraid the hydraulics were taken out when the bullets hit the chopper. There's no way it will fly." The one remaining helicopter was the one that had been damaged when Atem tackled the soldier as he opened fire on the Blue Eyes White Dragon. The other had been destroyed by the Blue Eyes, while the Kaiba Copter had been destroyed by Shadow Ghouls.

"He's going into VF!" The medic elbowed Mokuba out of the way and started giving CPR to Seto. All the soldiers were well trained in emergency medical care on the battlefield and one of the soldiers quickly set up the portable defibrillator.

Everyone watched on in horror as the medic shocked Kaiba's heart.

Ishizu grabbed hold of Mokuba, providing him with comfort and also to keep him out of the way as the medic worked.

Anxious moments passed by until the medic sat back and heaved a sigh of relief. "He's a strong one. For a moment there I thought we might lose him, but he is fighting for his life. We need to get him off this island urgently. Any news on transport?"

"I have radioed, they're sending a chopper for the casualty and a boat for everyone else. Chopper should arrive in ten minutes, the boat, half an hour!"

"I have a yacht moored down by the jetty, that might be quicker," Mai informed the commander.

"Okay, Ando? You stay with the casualty. Everyone else down to the yacht."

"I'm not leaving Seto," Mokuba argued.

"There won't be enough room. You go on the boat," the commander ordered bluntly. Mokuba tried to argue but it did no good.

"Come on Mokuba, Seto is in good hands." Ishizu continued to look after Mokuba.

"What about the girl Sir?" One of the soldiers asked. "Is she to be evacuated by air or by boat?"

"I'm not leaving her side!" Yugi said defensively.

"She's not in any immediate danger. She can go by boat," the medic, Ando confirmed.

"Okay! But she is your responsibility," the commander said to Yugi, before turning and ordering his men to usher everyone down to the jetty. Jonouchi went over to Yugi to help him carry Anzu.

"Hey! Are we still hostages?!" Jonouchi queried irritably as he was pushed along by one of the soldiers. "I was only tryin to help my pal!"

"You are all to be taken for interrogation. We need to find out exactly what went on here. People are missing and injured, millions of dollars worth of damage have been done and a tropical island laid to waste, and I think you lot know what happened."

"Oh dear!" Mahado grimaced. "Well, I can assure you we will all co-operate. But I have to inform you, we were not the cause of this near disaster. We were here to stop it! I am afraid there are some things you may find difficult to understand." In response the commander grunted and gestured for them to move along. Everyone shared nervous glances, wondering what sort of interrogation they would face.

On the way down to the jetty, they found Isono laying on the path, semi conscious and moderately insane from where his experience in the Shadow Realm had forced him to face his biggest fears. The big strong body guard was crying and shaking like a small child; babbling on about fifty foot snakes and huge spiders that had tried to eat him alive.

He hardly seemed to acknowledge anyone as he was helped by Honda and one of the soldiers.

When they reached the jetty, they were shocked, but not really surprised, to see that little remained of the wooden jetty. It was charred and partially collapsed, while the luxury yacht had been smashed in on one side and was now leaning over, half submerged. Mai sighed sadly at the sight of the Yacht that had once belonged to her, now damaged beyond repair. However, she was relieved that it would be Kaiba and not her who would be picking up the cost, because she doubted the insurance covered supernatural events!

"Crap! Now how'd we get off the island?" Just as Jonouchi spoke, a navy patrol boat came into view on the horizon. When the boat got closer to the island, it dropped anchor in the slightly deeper water and two inflatable craft were launched from it.

"I think that's our transport arriving now Jonouchi!" Sugoroku pointed at the two inflatable rescue craft that were manoeuvrable enough to get close in against the rocks so that they could get on board.

Not used to getting on and off boats while carrying someone, Yugi slipped over on the seaweed covered rocks, injuring his hand on a piece of the splintered wood from the jetty and bruising his backside. "Be careful with her?" he huffed irritably when the soldiers laughed at him as they picked Anzu up and carried her to the waiting boat. But he need not worry about Anzu's safety, the soldiers were well drilled in evacuating casualties in difficult situations and managed with very little effort.

As he helped his brother to his feet, Atem noted that the soldiers seemed to have relaxed around them a little now. Maybe they realised that the rather quiet, shell shocked group were not much of a threat. The soldiers had also witnessed some strange events themselves, and were probably trying to understand what they had seen.

As they approached mainland Japan, hoods were placed over their heads. Partly to avoid being identified by the media, but mostly because that was how the military operated when dealing with captured enemies!

They were bundled into army vehicles and taken to a military facility, where they would be questioned about what had happened on the island. Atem doubted any of them would be believed. They would probably all be deemed a bunch of crazies, and locked up! He could hear Mana crying opposite and tried to move so that he could comfort her, but was pushed back into his seat and ordered to sit still.

When they arrived at the Military Base, they were all taken for medical checks, before being questioned.

::::::::::::

Now that the battle was over, Yugi was really starting to feel exhaustion creeping in. Thanks to the Mystical Elf, his wounds from the battle had all been healed but he had managed to get a large splinter of wood from a piece of the broken jetty in his hand when he had slipped over on the rocks. However, that still did not explain why his clothes were ripped and soaked in his blood. He was cleaned up and given an orange jump suit to wear, which made him feel even more like a prisoner.

"Judging by the state your clothes were in, I'm surprised you don't have more wounds!" The nurse tending to his hand enquired.

"I guess I was just lucky!" He laughed awkwardly.

"This might hurt a little." She took a sterile scalpel and teased the one inch long splinter from his palm. It had gone in quite deep and at an angle.

"Ow!" Yugi hissed.

"Sorry. Is your tetanus up to date?"

"I don't know. I think so." He did his best to appear brave when she gave him a tetanus booster anyway.

"Where have they taken Anzu?" He asked. The nurse did not know Anzu by name and looked at him questioningly. "The young woman that was unconscious... I need to see her. I keep asking, but no one will tell me anything."

"The doctors are running some tests on her and the man that was also brought in. That's all I know," the nurse replied.

"Please.. I need to see her. Can you get me in to see her?" He tried to put as much desperation into his voice as possible.

"She means a lot to you?"

He nodded. "She's my girlfriend. I'm really worried about her." He didn't know how Anzu would react when she woke up and he needed to be there for her.

"Look, I will see what I can find out, okay? I have been told to have you escorted to the interrogation rooms when I have finished treating you, but I will see if they will let you see her first."

"Thank you." He gave her his most charming smile.

As soon as she had dressed the wound, the nurse took him along the corridor to intensive care. Anzu was on a bed wired up to various monitors. Seto Kaiba was on another bed nearby, with wires and monitors attached to him. Yugi noticed that Mokuba was sat anxiously on a chair next to him. "How is he Mokuba?"

Mokuba was relieved to see Yugi. "He is stable - that's all they will tell me. Where have they taken everyone? They are blaming Kaiba Corp. for what happened! I know it kind of is Seto's fault, but he couldn't help it! That demon made him." There was an air of desperation in the teens voice.

"I don't know where the others are. They are keeping us all apart while we are being questioned. Let's not worry about who's to blame. It's more important that Anzu and your brother recover."

"It's not fair! They're treating us like prisoners but you and Yami saved everyone!"

"Things are seldom fair Mokuba," Yugi sighed. "But I'm sure they will let us go once they understand what really happened." He didn't tell Mokuba that he was worried they would all be locked up for a very long time!

He went over to Anzu and leaned over her. She looked as though she was in a peaceful sleep. "Anzu..." he kissed her lips softly. "Please... you have to be okay! I love you. We can start over and re-build our relationship. You can go back and finish your degree in dance. I will find a job to support us. What do you think?" He had heard that talking to coma patients helped with their recovery but there was no response – she appeared to be too deeply unconscious to have heard him.

A military police officer appeared and ordered Yugi to come with him. Yugi ignored him. "Sir!" The officer barked. "I have orders to take you for questioning. I will remove you by force if necessary."

"Please, just one more minute?" Yugi started to plead, but was pulled away by the officer. "No! I can't leave her...!" It was pointless trying to resist, so he sagged despondently and held his hands up. "Okay.. I will go willingly, you don't have to use force!"

However, he stopped abruptly and turned back to the bed when the heart monitor attached to Anzu suddenly speed up, giving several quick heartbeats in succession.

Anzu gasped and cried out for Yugi. Her eyes fluttered open and she started hyperventilating as panic set in.

"Anzu?!" Yugi ran back to her side and grabbed her, just as she almost threw herself off the bed and onto the floor. "It's okay, I've got you.. Shhh.. You are safe now, the demon has gone." He hugged her tightly and tried to soothe the now sobbing young woman.

"Y..Yugi! Where are we?" She pulled away slightly and gazed at him with a look of utter fear and confusion. "What happened?" Everything was vague and fragmented. The small snippets that kept assaulting her mind were terrifying and upsetting.

"We're in the hospital wing of a military facility. Everything will be okay.. I promise to look after you.."

She tensed and shivered in his arms as another painful flash of memory hit her. "I tried to kill you! I... Oh... God! I'm going to..." She pulled away from him and retched. Shaking, she curled up in a ball and started sobbing into his lap.

"Come on Sir? The medical staff will take care of her." The officer put his hand on Yugi's shoulder, and gestured for him leave.

"No!" Yugi snapped angrily, shrugging the officer off. "You don't understand what she's been through! I am _not_ leaving her."

The officer took his concern for Anzu as resistance and roughly twisted his arm behind his back, pulling him off the bed and away from Anzu. He tried to struggle and get the man to understand that Anzu needed him, but his protests were in vain. The officer just tightened his grip further and shouted at him to behave. Serving in the Military Police, he was used to dealing with combat trained soldiers that were far stronger men than Yugi. Anzu tried to cling to the material of Yugi's jump suit as he was dragged away from her.

Not wishing to have his arm pulled out of its socket, Yugi gave up his struggles and allowed himself to be lead away, while a nurse tried to restrain Anzu.

After Yugi was taken away, Anzu became hysterical. The ordeal had taken its toll on her mind and the one person she trusted and who she felt safe with was Yugi, but he was being taken away from her. Confusion clouded her thought process. Why was she no longer in New York? It came back to her suddenly, flashing through her fragmented memories: Something evil, something terrifying, had taken over her body and mind. Images of people screaming as she ripped their life from them assaulted her. She tried to stop herself from doing those terrible things but was unable to control her own body. It was like watching herself acting, in some sort of twisted video.

I took three nurses to hold her down when she started flailing about. She was forcibly restrained and a needle was pushed into her arm making everything turn fuzzy. The voices surrounding her slowed and the light dimmed as she slipped into slumber, brought on by the sedative she had been given.

Across the room, Mokuba was being held back. He wanted to go to Anzu, but the nurse treating Kaiba warned him not to.

Mokuba was frightened. What if Seto experienced the same terror? Seto had fully transformed into a demon, whereas Anzu had hardly begun her transformation. If this was how broken her mind was, what would Seto be like when he awoke? Was there even anything left of Seto's mind?

::::::::::::

Deep inside his own soul room, Seto felt safe from the world outside. He did not wish to wake up.

He was sitting at the desk in his private study at the mansion, gazing out of the window onto the gardens below. He could see Mokuba happily playing with his stunt kite. Windy autumn days like these were perfect for flying kites. Seto decided that he liked his desk's new position facing the window. Why had he never thought of turning his desk to face the window before?

The door to his room opened and Kisara walked in carrying a silver tray with two bone china cups and a matching teapot. "How are you today Seto?" She enquired softly, as she rounded the desk and placed the tray down.

"I am fine," he answered, smiling at the way her long bluish/blonde hair fell forward from where she had swept it behind her ear, into her face.

"Are you going to venture outside today Seto?" She smiled lovingly.

He deftly reached up and moved the silky tresses that covered her face and tucked them back behind her ear so that he could look into those soft baby blue eyes. "No, I thought that we could spend the day making love and sleeping again." He never grew tired of spending his days with her. He wished they could stay in this beautiful dream forever. If he woke up now, she would be gone and he might never find her again.

"I love you Seto, but we cannot always stay like this. One day, you will have to go outside and I will have to leave you and return to my home," she said sadly.

"I know, but you saved my life Kisara." He reached up and pulled her gently onto his lap, and captured her lips with his own. Oh, how he loved the taste of her soft mouth; it warmed his heart and soothed his soul. With each kiss, a little piece of the darkness that had been torturing him was pushed away and replaced with one of the small fragments of his soul. He knew that one day the puzzle would be completed and then he would be forced to leave his room. But until that day, he would continue to lose himself in her soft kisses and warm embrace.

::::::::::::

After arriving at the military facility, Atem was separated from his friends and lead into a building, up some stairs, along a corridor and into a room. Once inside the room, the hood denying him vision was removed. He recognised the room as the type used for medical examinations.

A doctor came into the room, accompanied by a nurse and ordered him to strip off his dirty, shredded clothing.

Atem kicked off his rather scuffed, studded leather shoes, removed what was left of his tee-shirt and then unbuckled his blood encrusted leather trousers, pushing them down until they were round his ankles, before stepping out of them and kicking them to one side, leaving him standing there in just his boxers.

All his cuts and bruises had been magically healed when he and Yugi were taken to that strange place with their father. And the doctor and nurse exchanged baffled looks when they saw that Atem had no physical injuries – his skin was perfect and blemish free! Even the scar just below his knee, where he had cut his leg open falling off his bike as a child, had vanished.

The doctor ran a few more tests on him. His blood pressure and heart-rate showed him to be in excellent physical condition. "Well, I don't know how you got away with it given the state your clothes are in, but you are in perfect health!" The doctor mused, scratching his head in confusion. "Put this on while I call the guard to come and get you." Like Yugi, he was also given an orange jump suit to wear.

Once he was dressed, the guard lead him outside and round the edge of the parade ground to another building.

He was taken to an interrogation room and told to wait.

As he sat on the hard chair, in front of a table that was positioned in the centre of the room, he wondered what he was going to tell them. There was no way he could tell them that Seto Kaiba, himself and Anzu were responsible for opening the Shadow Realm, and he doubted his friends would give away that much information either.

He glanced around the room. Other than the desk, there was no furniture. The walls were bare brick, painted in a very pale green and there was one small horizontal slit window, reinforced with wire mesh.

"Atem 'Yami' Mutou?" His gaze was brought back to the two people who had just entered the room. The older male looked Egyptian, while the much younger woman appeared to be a mixture of European and Egyptian.

"It is good to meet you," the male bowed. "I am called Tariq, this is my daughter Anna. Is it okay if we call you Yami? That's what your friends call you, isn't it?"

"Yes," he replied simply, feeling rather stunned by the polite way they were speaking to him. Perhaps it was an interrogation technique to throw him off guard.

"Sorry we kept you waiting. You were quicker than anticipated in the hospital wing. Incredible how you and Yugi escaped any serious injury given the state your clothes were in."

"Yeah... I guess!" Atem said warily, wondering where the questioning was going. "Am I going to get some new clothes? I'm not too keen on these." He shook his arms out to reveal the baggy sleeves of the jumpsuit.

"We will see what we can do," Tariq smiled. "But first, we would just like to have a little chat with you. What happened to the Millennium Puzzle?"

"What?! How did you know about the Puzzle?" Atem was surprised by the first question. "My brother Yugi has it." Come to think about it, he could not remember Yugi having the Puzzle on when they left the island.

"No, I'm afraid he doesn't. He thought that perhaps you had it. He couldn't remember taking it off!"

"Oh! We must have lost it then."

"My guess it that your father, the Pharaoh took it back into the afterlife with him after you defeated Zorc. Would that be correct?"

Atem's jaw dropped open in surprise and his bottom lip quivered slightly at the mention of his father. "How did?! Did Ishizu tell you about our father?"

"Not as such. I will be honest with you Yami, we know all about you and your brother's bloodline because we too are connected to the past. Like Ishizu, we are descended from Tomb Keepers. While it was Ishizu's job to protect you, it is our job to deal with the fallout from your little adventure."

"Adventure! We were almost killed and you knew about it! Why didn't you stop it or help us?!" Atem retorted angrily.

"Because you were Ishizu's responsibility and it was not our place to interfere. Unfortunately, Ishizu's family and my family do not get on very well. I'm afraid that some of my ancestors took to plundering the tombs they were supposed to protect and this caused a division within the Tomb Keepers, causing many of us to abandon the old ways. But internal quarrels aside, to interfere in the roles of other Tomb Keepers would be an unforgivable sin. We trusted Ishizu's judgement in her belief that you and Yugi would be successful in defeating Zorc."

"I can't believe this! You people are unbelievable! Because of your superstitions and secrecy, people have died! We could have all died! I was angry enough with Ishizu for keeping us in the dark about our father and our destiny for so long, but then you come along and say you knew about it too...! Are you going to tell me how you got into a secure military base? Or is that another Tomb Keeper secret?!"

"I work for counter intelligence. My daughter works as my secretary. Our role is to deal with events that are not easily explained. I am sure you would agree, there are some things that the public are best kept ignorant about?"

"So what do you intend to do? Sweep it all under the carpet and blame Kaiba?"

"It is unfortunate, given what Mister Kaiba has suffered, but I am afraid that is the only logical solution. A news bulletin will be issued stating that Seto kaiba was on the island to test new virtual reality technology. Unfortunately, a satellite malfunction almost resulted in a catastrophe. But thanks to Seto Kaiba's quick thinking, disaster was averted. As far as the public is concerned no one else was ever on that island. Of course the soldiers are also being de-briefed, just as they would be after any other covert mission."

"Seto Kaiba lies in a coma, while his company takes the blame. We go back to our lives and try to carry on as if everything is normal.. It sucks, but I guess none of us have a choice, do we?" He huffed sarcastically.

"I am sorry, but it is the best we can do under the circumstances. You will be released without charge and we trust you to never speak of our conversation. We will take you to see your friends now."

"Can you find me some proper clothes first?"

"Oh! Yes, of course. What size are you?" The young woman Anna spoke for the first time.

Atem told her his measurements were 36" chest, 28" waist and 32" inside leg. She went away, blushing slightly, returning ten minutes later with army issue trousers and an olive green tee-shirt, in the sizes he had requested. They waited outside while he changed and then took him to be re-united with his friends and family.

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed. I can't believe there is only one chapter to go!**

 **Please review.**


	40. Chapter 40

Sorry for the long delay between updates. I was away last week and then very busy all weekend so did not get a chance to do any writing! And when I looked at my original draft of this chapter, I decided it still needed a lot of work. There has been a lot of publicity over the plight of soldiers suffering from PTSD - I think most of us have probably seen the 20 press-ups thing on facebook. So as I re-worked this chapter which includes our band of Yugioh heroes own struggles in dealing with the traumas and horrors they have suffered fighting the demon, I had our brave soldiers on my mind - both American, British and any other nations who's troops have been involved in the fight against terror. I should point out that I am not an expert in PTSD.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.

* * *

Broken Dreams

Chapter 40. Aftermath

Six weeks later:

It had been a difficult few weeks, but Ishizu felt that she was now coming to terms with what had happened on that island.

She found it interesting how quickly the general population seemed to have forgotten about the catastrophe that had almost befallen them. For a week or two, so called experts analysed and talked about what they believed happened, but after a while, the media found new stories to keep them amused.

"It is because they have a short attention span," Mahado observed.

Of course, Kaiba Corporation was continuing to be of interest to the media. There was growing speculation about Seto kaiba, who was seemingly unavailable to comment on the 'technology malfunction' and it had been left to Mokuba to try and answer the questions. And since Mokuba was in no state of mind and none of the Kaiba Corp. staff knew the truth, Mokuba had asked Mai for help. Ishizu had been impressed at how she handled the media.

::::::::::::

After everything he had gone through recently, Atem was struggling. But in typical fashion, he kept it to himself and put on a mask of stoicism. Everyone needed him to be strong for them.

To keep himself occupied, he threw himself back into his fitness regime and had managed to ease himself back into the reserve team.

No one appeared to notice his inner struggles... No one except for Mana.

Unfortunately, when she tried to talk to him he shut himself down and either diverted the conversation or became angry. It did not help that Mana was having her own issues and as a consequence their relationship was starting to become strained.

They had argued again today when Mana tried to get him to open up. It ended with him shouting at her and storming off in a temper. They had since made up and now Atem was trying his best to make it up to Mana – he really was, but Mana did not want flowers, she wanted to talk.

They were now sitting in her room watching television. There was nothing on that interested them but it helped to cut through the awkward tension.

"I don't know what you want me to say?" He asked. "I'm fine, but you seem to think I have a problem!"

"Please, Prince. If you can't talk to me, talk to Mahado. He will be able to help you."

"I don't need help! Maybe it's you that needs help! You used to be fun. It's like you lost all your joie de vivre. All you do now is nag me! My Mum keeps asking me if I'm alright as well. Why can't everyone leave me alone?! I am back on the team, everything is going well."

"Everything is not well though, is it?" Mana sighed. He was going into denial again and putting the blame on everyone else. "Would it help if I admit that I'm also struggling? We all suffered on that island. I don't blame you for doing terrible things, you were possessed by a de..."

"That's enough!" He snapped, interrupting her. "You might not blame me but you can't forgive me, can you? You tell me you have but I can see it still upsets you."

They both went quiet when there was a knock on the door.

"Would you like anything to drink?" Ishizu popped her head round the door to ask. She was worried about them.

"No thanks," they both mumbled flatly.

Ishizu frowned at the tension in the room and lack of energy in their voices. They used to be so full of fun and happiness. She sighed. "Are you sure you're both okay?"

"Yes!" Mana snapped, uncharacteristically. "Why wouldn't we be?"

"We're okay, honestly Ishizu. We're just tired," Atem said, grabbing the remote control and flicking channels.

"Well, if you need anything? To talk perhaps?! Mahado and I will be I the study." She left them alone in the hope they would take up the offer of help.

Flicking through channels, Atem landed on a news report. The body of a missing woman had been found in bushes beside the motorway, just outside Domino. Even though his memory was sketchy, he had been experiencing nightmares and flashbacks. Atem immediately knew that it was his victim. He gasped and dropped the remote.

Mana immediately grabbed it off the floor and switched to the comedy channel.

"God! Is this ever going to be over?" With a big sigh, he flopped forward, elbows on knees and fists balled against his chin.

"Prince..." Mana breathed shakily, gently rubbing his back. "It wasn't your fault."

"Wasn't it?! It was my body that was used. I feel..." he shivered. "Violated." He guessed this was how rape victims felt.

"I wish I knew what I could do to help you..." Mana said quietly, but he was not really hearing her.

"I have no idea what I.. what IT did to that poor girl. I just hope they don't find anything that links it to me. What if my DNA is on her?"

"Perhaps your DNA was altered by the demon's own DNA." They could only hope. None of the victims found so far had been linked to Kaiba, Anzu or Yami.

They were both quiet as they tried to watch the comedy. None of the humour made them want to laugh.

"I'm sorry for everything." Atem placed his arms around her shoulders, expecting her to snuggle into him. Instead she tensed up. She had been doing that a lot lately. It was even worse when they made love and even though he could not blame her after what they had just seen on the news, he was starting to feel irritated again.

"Are you are okay Mana? Only whenever I touch you, you tense up!"

"I'm fine, you just surprised me!" She replied defensively.

"Hmph.." Atem was unconvinced. "I don't think you trust me, you still think I'm a monster," he muttered sadly. "I think I'm a monster!"

"That's not true! I wouldn't invite you to spend the night if I thought that!"

"Yes, but you will insist on sleeping with the light on."

"I do that every night! Not just when you are here. I don't like the dark since..." She trailed off.

"We're not doing very well, are we?" He said slowly, removing his arm from Mana's shoulder. "Things are not the same as before. There's no escaping, I did some awful things and I hurt you. I can't blame you if you no longer love me in the way you did."

"I do love you! It's just..." She did not finish speaking because he interrupted.

"Please, don't lie to me? Things are not the same between us. I.. I know you're still afraid of me. I am a complete fuck up. Maybe we need some time apart to work out our psychological issues."

At last, he had started to open up a little and was talking. But instead of welcoming it, Mana was afraid of what he was going to say. Hesitantly, she replied.

"You're right... I don't trust you fully. You lose your temper really quickly over stupid things and it scares me. I don't have the energy to deal with it, I have lost my Joie de whatever you said and feel tired all the time - it's an effort to do anything. But I love you and I want us to work through this together, not apart."

"I'm sorry about my anger issues, but I can't help it. I need to face up to the fact that I am struggling to cope... I should go.." He made a move to stand. Mana grabbed the back pocket of his jeans.

"Prince?! I don't want us to break up!"

"I know." He smiled softly at her and leaned down to kiss her forehead. "We won't. I will call you tomorrow – check you are okay."

"Okay..." She swallowed tentatively and watched as he slowly got up and trudged towards the door. She felt sad. Somehow, she knew he was not going to call.

He paused with his hand on the door handle and composed himself. "You gonna see me out then?!" He winked cheekily to hide his emotions.

"Oh! Yeah... of course!" She stood up and followed him.

They found Ishizu on the front porch, watering the plants in tubs.

"Is everything alright between you?" Ishizu asked, concern growing.

"Yeah, we both agree we have a few personal issues to sort out," he winked and Mana sucked her bottom lip and looked at the floor.

Ishizu heaved a big sigh. "It seems that we are all struggling to get over what happened. When you feel ready, come and talk to Mahado." She offered him.

"No, I will be fine. I just need some time alone." He left the two women standing on the porch and made his way to his car. Mana watched as he drove off.

Once he had rounded the corner and was out of sight, he pulled over at the side of the road and switched off the engine.

He put his face in his hands and let out all the pain and anguish he had been holding in. No one could really know what it had been like for him to be possessed by a demon and forced to kill people in cold blood! He was haunted by it. He was tortured by the cruel way he had treated Mana and Yugi, and every time he saw either of them he felt crushed by guilt. He did not know if he could ever look Anzu in the face again after some of the kinky things they had done together! If Yugi ever found out the details he would probably punch him and never speak to him again.

He had caused the people he loved so much pain, yet still had not apologised properly because he did not know how.

He wished his father was here, it would make things so much easier. He would have someone to talk to, confide in, someone he admired – a real role model. But after one fleeting moment, his father had left. It was not fair of him to come to them like that and then leave again so quickly.

After several minutes of total meltdown, Atem recomposed himself and pulled down the sun visor to look into the mirror. His face was stained with tears and his eyes were all red and puffy.

He could not go home like this!

Turning on the ignition, he decided to drive to the football club. It would be closed up for the night, but he had always got on well with Pedro, the janitor/groundsman. Atem did not really know what his job title was.

Pedro was originally from Portugal and a retired player that had never quite made the top division in his own country, but had been good enough to play in the Japanese league. He had spent the last couple of years of his career playing for Domino FC and become good friends with the manager. He lived in a small apartment within the training ground and basically did all the odd jobs. He fixed things and sometimes joined in with the players at training sessions. Atem wondered if Pedro could fix him.

Atem hammered on the door.

"Yami! You no look so good!" Pedro was surprised to see him.

"Yeah... I had a row with my girlfriend," he tried to smile. "I need a place to crash for the night."

"Well, you come to right place. I no let my favourite player sleep in car! Not good for back!" He grimace and rubbed his lower back as he spoke.

"Thanks." Atem stumbled in and sat down on the couch.

"This is Japanese pick me up!" Pedro gave him a mug of miso soup. Atem could not help but chuckle.

"Yes, cures all ills! Mum always gives it to us when we have colds. Grandpa swears by it as a hangover cure!" He took a sip.

"You want talk about it?"

"Not really." Atem shook his head. However, he soon found himself telling Pedro about his anxiety. He was careful not to mention the demon or the island, but explained that his father died before he was born and that he had recently found out how he died and it had upset him. He had also had an affair with his brother's girlfriend.

Pedro listened and did not push him when he stopped talking. "I have my rounds to do. You sleep now."

He gave Atem a blanket and Atem curled up on the couch. He was so tired that he was soon dozed off.

The following day, he made the decision not to ring Mana just yet. He would concentrate on his career and was sure that once he was back in the first team things would get better.

Two weeks went by, he achieved his objective but still felt no better. And he still had not spoken to Mana.

::::::::::::

Two months had now passed since 'the island' and after another restless night, experiencing flashbacks and vivid nightmares, Mokuba woke up feeling tired. He had been having therapy sessions and things were getting better slowly, but he would still have nights where the monster that had made Seto hurt him, came back to haunt him.

Dragging himself out of bed, he staggered into the shower room. Once dressed, he ran to his brother's room, full of hope. Only to have his hope dashed when he saw that Seto was still sleeping.

As usual, Mokuba found Seto's personal nurse busy with her morning routine of opening the curtains and preparing to give Seto his daily wash and shave. "Good morning Mokuba," she smiled sweetly at him, just as she always did. "How are you this morning? You look tired. Are you still experiencing those nightmares?"

"Good morning Yumiko. No nightmares, the therapy is helping," he lied. "I'm just worried about Seto. Is there any improvement?"

"No change I'm afraid. We have someone different coming this morning for his physiotherapy session. Mamoro's wife has gone into labour so he has arranged for a colleague to treat Seto instead."

"Oh..." Mokuba replied blandly.

Every morning, Seto was washed, shaved and dressed. His therapist would then arrive for the first of his three, daily physiotherapy sessions, that were designed to prevent muscle wastage and possible bed sores.

Mokuba hated that his brother was having to be cared for in such a way. To say it was demeaning, was putting it mildly.

"Good morning Seto..." Mokuba tried to sound upbeat. "Are you going wake up today?" He sat down in the chair to talk to his brother for a few minutes before going for his own breakfast and attending lessons with his private tutor. He no longer went to school or left the premises because he wanted to be nearby for when Seto eventually woke up.

The running of Kaiba Corporation had been left to Mokuba and he worried that if Seto didn't wake soon, they might eventually lose control of the company.

Surprisingly, the company was doing well at the moment. Mai had been extremely good at helping Mokuba by taking the helm and had managed the public relations crisis that had threatened after the incident on the island, extremely professionally. Rather than damage Kaiba's reputation, it had resulted in Seto Kaiba being hailed a hero for averting a potential catastrophe.

Mokuba felt kind of guilty about Seto being called a hero, when it was in fact he who had been the cause! Yugi and Atem were really the unsung heroes, although, they insisted that it was a team effort and did not want praise.

Mai had also done a good job of hiding the truth about Seto's condition, claiming that he was recuperating from his injuries at home, but was able to advise her with decision making.

However, rumours were already starting to circulate and Mokuba feared that sooner or later, the truth about him being in a coma would get out. All it took was one member of staff to sell out and Kaiba Corp. would be left vulnerable to takeover bids.

::::::::::::

Yugi had put his degree on hold for the time being. He wasn't sure if he _would_ go back – and anyway, he had enough on his plate caring for Anzu.

It had been a tough decision, but he had moved out of his home above the game store to live with Anzu and her parents.

Her parents had been devastated that their bright, determined daughter had given up her dream of being a ballet dancer. She had become agoraphobic; staying in her room most of the time and clinging to Yugi. She hardly let him out of her sight and often got upset when he was not there. They had been forced to let him move in, because when he was around Anzu seemed to brighten up a little.

It had been impossible for them to get their heads around the way she had thrown it all away. Yugi and his grandfather had tried to explain what had happened to her but they refused to believe in the magic and monsters, or this thing called the Shadow Realm.

Initially, they had filed a law suit against Seto Kaiba. But when they found out the CEO was in a coma they had second thoughts. Mokuba had offered to pay for Anzu's psychological therapy and from what they had gathered, the Kaiba's were suffering just as much as all the other people who had been on that island.

Yugi woke up to find the space in the bed next to him empty. He rolled over to find that where Anzu had been laying was still warm. He buried his face in her pillow and inhaled her scent. They were sharing the same bed but had not shared any intimacy. He missed her and needed her so badly, but Anzu's mind was too fragile and she flinched at any sort of intimate contact. He could only imagine how violated she must feel over what she had experienced while possessed by that vile demon. It made him shudder to think...

A small, sad smile graced his features. Recently, she had been making progress, but still wouldn't go outside, beyond the comfort of her own garden.

The bedroom door swung open and Anzu walked in carrying a tray with two mugs of tea and some toast. "Morning Yugi!" She said cheerfully.

Yugi smiled back at her. This was the most cheerful he had seen her in a while and it was also the first time she had brought him breakfast in bed!

"Hey!" He pulled himself up to sit. "You're up early this morning!" She usually spent half the morning in bed!

She carefully placed the tray on the bed and slid in beside Yugi. "I was thinking... hoping that we might go out today. The sun's shining and... Not too far, maybe just to the park," she said hopefully.

"Yeah!" Yugi couldn't keep the excitement from his voice. He knew he shouldn't get too excited, last time she had asked him to take her out to the park, she had suffered a panic attack. She was okay when it came to going out into the garden to sit on the patio, but had not made it any further afield.

As soon as they had finished their breakfast, they washed and dressed. Once downstairs, they put on their shoes. "Are you ready?" He took her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. She nodded.

"Yeah, let's do this." She took a deep breath and smiled at him nervously. "I can do this," she breathed.

"I know you can." His hopes started to sink when she faltered and tensed up. "Do you want to sit in the garden for a while first?"

"No!" She took a deep breath. "I'm determined to try and walk further."

"Okay," he nodded. "I'm with you all the way."

Anzu's mother came out of the kitchen to witness her daughters valiant efforts.

"You can do this Anzu!" Her mother encouraged, trying to keep her own nervous anticipation under control.

Once outside, Yugi made sure that he stayed close and kept a tight hold of Anzu's hand.

They stood on the path and she closed her eyes to take a few deep breaths of fresh air, before opening them again and stepping out of the front gate and onto the pavement.

She waved and smiled reassuringly at her mother and then turned and looked at Yugi with a beaming smile on her face. "I did it Yugi! I conquered my fears."

"Yes, you are doing really well Anzu." He was filled with relief but still felt slightly apprehensive for her.

For the first time in weeks, Anzu was feeling more like her old self. She could do this, she really could! "Why don't we walk to the game store? It will be a nice surprise for your grandfather."

"Are you sure?!" Yugi was worried his brother might be there and Anzu had not seen Atem since...

"What if Yami's there?" He asked anxiously.

Anzu shrugged her shoulders up to her ears and let out a sigh. "I have to face him eventually."

"If you're sure?" she nodded that she was. "Then let's go..." They started walking, with Yugi keeping a close watch on her for any signs of panic, but she seemed fine.

When they entered the shop, Yugi was concerned to see his brother sitting behind the counter. "Yami! What are you doing here?" He did not mean for it to sound quite so objectionable.

"Yeah.. good to see too Yugi..." Atem paused for a double take when he saw that Yugi was not on his own. "Erm... Anzu?! It's good to see you out and about!" Atem glanced between them but could not look at Anzu's face as he spoke.

It made Yugi feel extremely awkward, causing him to put too much effort into sounding cheerful. "Yeah, Anzu is feeling much better!" He knew he sounded insincere, and Anzu was quick to notice.

"It's okay guys, you don't have to tread on eggshells around me. I'm sorry for what I did to you Yami. If it's any help, I don't remember much." Atem flinched slightly and felt his face heat up.

"I'm sorry too. I don't remember much either." It was a small lie, the flashbacks had filled in some of his missing memories, and he suspected Anzu remembered more than she was prepared to admit, too.

Yugi cleared his throat. "Maybe it's good that you don't remember," he said awkwardly. He could tell they were both lying. Anzu took his hand and smiled at him.

"I know it's early days but I want to go back to ballet lessons, I have got a lot of catching up to do."

Both Yugi and Atem looked at each other with raised eyebrows at her bold statement. It was as if the light within her had come back on.

"That's awesome Anzu!" Yugi hugged her.

"Why don't I shut up shop and we go and get a cup of tea or something. Mum and Grandpa have gone shopping but should be back soon," Atem suggested.

"Okay," Anzu said cheerily.

The three went upstairs.

"How is your training going Yami? Grandpa said you played your first game at the weekend." The atmosphere around his brother was awkward and Yugi felt the need to get a conversation going.

"Oh! Yeah... It was going great, but I pulled a hamstring during the game. It's a bit sore. Physio said I might be out of action for a while. I'm surprised Grandpa didn't tell you." His voice sounded forced and there was no sign of him limping while walking! Yugi had the distinct feeling that he was lying but did not want to embarrass his brother in front of Anzu, so he kept quiet.

"How are things going with Mana, Yami? Now I'm feeling better, it would be nice for us to all get together, like old times." Anzu suggested hopefully.

"Yeah, she's fine." He tensed up and something about the way he averted his eyes to look at the floor for a second alerted Yugi to the fact that something was definitely amiss.

"What's wrong Yami?!" Yugi looked at him searchingly. Atem tried to avoid direct eye contact, but Yugi could still see the look in his brother's eyes, telling him to back off.

They both knew that Yugi would not leave it though.

In response, Yugi nodded his head slightly and hummed. "I'll tickle it out of you if I have to!" Tickle torture was something they used to do when they were kids and wanted the other to give in over a toy or a game. Yugi hoped that reminding him how they used to tease each other might ease the tension a little.

Amused at Yugi's words, Atem let out a cross between a laugh and a snort. "I would like to see you try!" He forced a smirk.

Yugi smiled at him. That was more like it! At least his brother had some of his old humour remaining.

Knowing them both as well as she did, Anzu quickly noticed their demeanour.

"How about I go and look after the shop for a bit while you two talk?" She offered.

"But Anzu! Are you sure? It's your first day out! I don't want to leave you on your own, will you be able to cope?" Yugi was shocked and surprised.

"Yes, of course I will. I don't need babying and I'm fed up with being stuck indoors. I will be okay, it's like a whole weight suddenly lifted off me!" She sounded like her old determined self so Yugi nodded.

"Okay, thanks. We won't be long," he smiled.

As soon as she had gone Atem slumped down in his chair. "I might have guessed you would see through me Yugi."

"What's wrong Yami? You are not well, I can see it. Anzu is getting better because she is letting people help her. If you don't get help, you will only get worse."

"I thought I could get through it on my own, but it's like I keep going round in ever decreasing circles... I'm not really injured and I have split up with Mana. I have been lying to Mum and Grandpa because I felt too ashamed to tell the truth."

"When?! How long have you and Mana been separated?"

"About two weeks ago. She said I needed help so I told her we needed a break. I was making her miserable, she's best off without me."

"That's not true Yami! You two need to work through this together... What else are you hiding?"

"Grandpa thinks I am back in the team. I did get back on the team but I blew it. I played my first game last Saturday, I got sent off and have been suspended for violent behaviour."

"What happened?!"

"I have been suffering from flashbacks and get these awful headaches when I remember what I have done. I can't sleep properly because when I close my eyes I see the faces of my... the demon's victims. I get angry and frustrated at the slightest thing. When an opposing player kept trying to kick at my ankles and jostle me during the game, I punched him. I got sent off, banned for three games and fined a months salary. The coach has kicked me off the team until I sort myself out." He let out a weary sigh and Yugi could see the tension in his knuckles as he twisted his fingers about nervously. Yugi realised then, that his brother had been hiding his post traumatic stress from everyone.

"Yami!" Yugi reached across and touched his brother's wrist. "Why didn't you ask for help?! Talk to someone. None us have found it easy but we've been getting help."

"Yeah, I know. But you all had your own problems to deal with. I thought I could keep going but it wasn't that simple.."

"Do you want my help?"

"Maybe.. I don't know.. Can you not mention it to anyone?"

"You mustn't ignore it Yami!"

"I know.. Can I sleep on it tonight? I will talk to Grandpa in the morning."

"Okay... But if you don't, I will. I won't let you keep torturing yourself like this."

Atem looked up at Yugi with a forlorn expression. "I hate myself right now..."

"Come here.." Yugi hugged his brother while he sobbed into his shoulder. It was heartbreaking, Yugi had always looked up to his brother as the stronger one of the two of them, yet here was his role model, a broken man.

* * *

 **Slightly depressing chapter. I can't leave Atem and Mana, or the Kaibas like this, so there will be one more chapter after this.**

 **Please review.**


	41. Chapter 41

Well, this is it - the final chapter. After all the awful things I have put the characters through, it is time to find out if they will all have a happy ending?

No specific warnings.

And for the final time for this story: I do not own Yugioh.

* * *

Broken Dreams

Chapter 41. Where There's Hope

Spring was now well on its way and the Sakura trees were in full blossom. Mana was feeling nervous as she sat on a bench in Domino Park, waiting for Atem to arrive.

He had finally rung her, sounding very apologetic for not getting in touch sooner. His voice had sounded so small and weak when he spoke, that she had not had the heart to be angry or upset with him.

It was a relief to hear him say that he was ready to get help for his problems and that he wanted to meet up. So here she was, such a bag of nerves that she had turned up fifteen minutes early!

The bench she was sitting on was positioned under one of the trees and her nose was being tickled by the delicate scent of the blossom.

It was a wonder to behold, each tree was only in full glory for a few days and people flocked to the local parks to celebrate.

People kept wandering over and taking photographs under the trees. Normally, Mana would not mind but she was feeling particularly tense this morning and it was irritating, especially since a small crowd had formed in front of her and she was worried her Prince would not see her. He was already five minutes late! Had he got cold feet?!

She stood up and started looking around anxiously in the direction she assumed he would arrive.

She need not have worried. "Hello Mana." She spun round to see him standing behind her, smiling nervously. "Sorry I'm late. I had trouble finding a parking space. I forgot the park is always busy at this time of year." His eyebrows rose at all the people milling about.

"Oh!" She giggled. "Yes, it must be all these trees!" She wanted to slap herself for pointing out the obvious, especially when he started laughing.

"Yeah...! A lot of fuss eh?!" He winked. "Springtime is a very special time of year... Would you like to go somewhere quieter?"

"No, it's okay. I like the trees, they're pretty."

"Shall we walk?" He offered his arm. She linked her arm through his and they strolled slowly along the tree lined path.

"How have you been these last couple of weeks?" Atem said, after a few moments of walking in silence.

"It's not been great. How about you?"

"It's been terrible. I broke down on Yugi yesterday, like a blubbering idiot."

"Showing your emotions does not make you an idiot!"

"No, I guess not." He changed the subject quickly. "Did you know Anzu is doing much better? She came round to visit with Yugi yesterday!"

"Really?! That's fantastic news. I must give her a call and see if she wants to meet up!"

"Yeah, you should, Anzu did say she wanted to see you." He steered her along a side path and out into the main square, away from the most crowded area. They stopped walking and turned to face each other.

"I was hoping we could start afresh... That's if you still want me after everything I've done?!" He deftly picked out a few stray blossom petals from her hair. Smiling back at him, she brushed her fingers through his spikes, dislodging the petals that had been caught there.

"Are you kidding Prince?! Of course I still want you, but I don't want to rush things. Can we just be friends for a while. Only, I still think we still have a way to go."

"Yes," he nodded. "I won't put pressure on you. I am happy for us to re-build our friendship before we make any commitments."

"I think... that for our relationship to work, we need to be able to share our feelings – be honest with each other. You can talk to me, you know."

"I am talking to you now, aren't I?!" It came out more abruptly than he intended. "Sorry... I didn't mean to get defensive again. It's not easy for me. I still feel embarrassed about my meltdown, and I worry that you will see me as a weak pathetic man who needs looking after. Everyone thinks I am mentally strong, able to deal with anything, but now I feel exposed."

"You have a sensitive side which is why I love you. Underneath that stoic exterior is a sensitive man who cares deeply for his loved ones and will fight to protect them. That is not a weakness."

"Maybe not, but it means I hurt more than I let on. Talking to Yugi yesterday, and the therapy session I had with Mahado this morning, helped me realise that I can't keep hiding behind my mask and pretending that everything is back to normal. Some terrible things have happened and I placed all of the blame for it on myself. I felt ashamed for trying to hurt you and Yugi. I also thought that the demon was able to possess me because I was a weak man with a weak soul, but I now know that anyone can be possessed by a demon. But Mahado reminded me that I showed true strength because I broke free from its control. I also understand that what I am suffering from is a post traumatic stress disorder. It is a normal human reaction and does not mean I am weak."

For once, Mana did not know what to say so she hugged him.

"Thank you Mana, for sticking by me." He held her tightly. "How about we forget all our problems for now and do something nice?"

They pulled apart and Mana bounced up and down, making him chuckle. This was more like the Mana he knew.

"Come on Prince, I feel the desperate urge to eat a very large bowl of ice cream." She grabbed his hand and pulled him towards Burger World.

"Er... yeah, okay." He happily let her pull him along.

When Atem dropped Mana home an hour later, she was feeling nauseous. "What possessed me to eat two large sundaes? Oooh, I'm going to die..."

"Don't throw up in the car!" He pulled up outside Mana's house and was relieved that she had kept her ice cream down.

They both got out of the car and he walked her to her door. "Are you sure you will be okay?"

"Yes, I just need a lie down. I'm getting a headache now."

"You look a little weird! Your face is a funny colour... Sort of green with blotchy cheeks."

"Thanks a bundle!" She rolled her eyes and playfully tapped his chest.

"Have a nice afternoon out with Anzu tomorrow. I will see you in the evening, okay?!" He winked.

Their day had gone well. It was almost like starting out again on a first date and for the first time in a while, Atem felt full of optimism.

::::::::::::

Ishizu had grown fond of Japan and its people, and was a little sad when the order came from the Tomb Keepers Council for them to return to Egypt.

However, she was missing her brothers, and her family's lovely, spacious villa on the banks of the Nile. But for the sake of Mana and Atem, she had hoped to delay their return a little longer.

"Maybe I should quit my role as a Tomb Keeper," she sighed, taking a sip of her coffee. "I have given so much of my life and I feel that it is time to step back and live my own life as I see fit."

"Mana will not be happy.," Mahado sighed.

"You do realise that she may wish to stay?!" Ishizu added.

"Yes, that and I am still worried about Yami's state of mind. I will talk to Mana when she gets home."

"Talk to me about what?"

"Mana! We were just discussing... Are you okay? You look a little pale!" Ishizu enquired.

"I ate too much ice cream and I have a bit of a headache." Prince just brought me home.

"Oh dear! How did things go between you both?" Ishizu enquired.

"Really great," she smiled. "We are working out our problems. He seems much more positive."

"That's good, I was happy with his progress at our session this morning. Coffee?" Mahado offered

"No thanks." Mana scrunched her nose up. "Think I will just have some strong green tea."

Ishizu glanced at Mahado. Who was going to give Mana the news? He nodded his understanding, apprehensively.

"I didn't know you liked green tea?" He said.

"It's an acquired taste. It might help settle my churning stomach." She replied.

"We need to talk to you about something. The Tomb Keepers have ordered us to return home to Egypt?" Mahado braced himself for the response.

"What?! No! I'm not going anywhere! I don't want to leave Prince or my friends! What about my job?!"

"You will have no problem finding employment at home. The Tomb Keepers will ensure..." He did not finish as Mana interrupted.

"Stuff the stupid Tomb Keepers! All our lives they've told us what to do! You've done so much for them, can't they just let you be?"

Ishizu let out a sigh. She could not disagree with Mana's statement. It was Mahado who answered.

"As much as we agree with you about the Tomb Keepers, Egypt is still our home. Do you not wish to see all your friends in Egypt?"

"Japan is my home now! You can go home! I'm staying here. I'm old enough to make my own decisions."

"Yes... Yes, I guess you are," he sighed. "But I will worry about you alone in this house."

"I won't be alone. I have Prince. And I thought you were going to help him?!"

"I will speak to the Tomb Keepers and suggest that you stay on while I return," Ishizu decided. "The well being of the Princes is of utmost importance to the Tomb Keepers Council, I am sure they will make allowances for you."

::::::::::::

The following day, Mana woke up feeling a little queasy again.

"That ice cream must have been off!" She informed Ishizu.

Mana had arranged to meet Anzu in front of the clock tower at two thirty. She did not wish to let her friend down, and after mooching around the house all morning, she perked up enough to go.

Her mood was also lifted by the news that the Tomb Keepers Council had agreed to let Mahado stay for one more month. Ishizu would be leaving the following day so that she could attend an important meeting with the council, while Mana was free to do as she pleased.

Yugi was anxious about letting Anzu go out without him, but Anzu insisted that she was feeling so much better and that she was ready for this. An afternoon shopping for clothes and doing girl stuff was what she needed and it would give him some time to spend with his brother.

"Girl stuff?!" Yugi exclaimed with a slightly amused expression as he drove her to the meeting point.

"Yes, its like boy stuff, only girls," Anzu told him. He glanced at her slightly shocked.

"You drink beer, look at porno mags and have farting competitions?!" He laughed jokingly.

"Ugh! No! Is that what you boys do when us girls are not around?!" She mock scolded.

"Of course not! Well I don't.. not the farting bit. I leave that to Jonouchi and Honda. Anyway, what do you and Mana actually plan to do," he said more seriously. Anzu rolled her eyes.

"We are going for a manicure..."

"A what?"

"Manicure – get our nails done."

"Oh..."

"Then we are going for coffee, and then we will look at clothes, shoes, jewellery and stuff like that."

"Sounds fun. Do you need any money?"

"No, it's okay, my Dad gave me some cash." She kissed his cheek. "Thanks for offering though."

"Oh! There's Mana," he gestured towards Mana, who had just arrived at the meeting point. "Have a nice afternoon." He kissed her.

Anzu leaped out of the car and ran over to Mana.

"Hey! Anzu, you look much better." Last time Mana had seen Anzu she had been curled up on the sofa in pyjamas, looking scruffy and depressed.

"Thanks! I feel more like my old self again. How are you doing?"

"I'm good..." Anzu thought she looked tired but didn't say anything.

The two girls linked arms and headed for the beauty salon.

Mana had forgotten all about the sickness she had been feeling, but for some reason, the smell of the nail varnish set it off again.

"Are you okay?" Anzu was concerned about her as they left the salon.

"Yes, I just came over a bit dizzy and queasy, that's all. I need a milkshake or something."

"Milkshake?! Is that wise if you feel sick? You're not pregnant are you?" Anzu chuckled.

"Don't be daft!" Mana shot her an incredulous look, but went very quiet as they walked to the nearest bar to get drinks.

"Earth to Mana!" Anzu snapped her fingers in front of Mana's face. "You spaced out!"

"Oh! Sorry.." Mana had been chewing over what Anzu said earlier about being pregnant. No – she couldn't be! Could she? Her last period was late and had been roughly two weeks after they got back from the island, but it had only lasted a day or so and she had put that down to the stress of what she had been through that had messed up her cycle. "Anzu?!" She spoke slowly and deliberately making Anzu look at her with a puzzled expression. "What you said about being pregnant... I don't know, but do you think?" She explained her thoughts.

"There's only one way to find out!"

"Will you be there for me when I do?"

"Of course I will." They hurriedly finished their shakes and went to the nearest chemist.

Clutching her testing kit, the two girls wet back to Anzu's house. Her parents would both be at work and Yugi was with Atem at the game store, so they would have privacy.

::::::::::::

There had been no change in Seto Kaiba's condition. Mokuba was sat at his bedside, telling him about his music lesson. It was strange talking to someone that was unconscious but Mokuba was used to it now. At the beginning of each conversation, he would be filled with anticipation that Seto might wake up and answer him. But by the end of his one sided conversation, he was always deflated.

Seto had been contented inside his soul room. He had everything he could possibly wish for. Every day he would watch Mokuba playing happily in the garden from the comfort of his bedroom window. Each day Kisara would tend his every need: What more could a man want?

Until now, he had stayed in his soul room, but yesterday, Kisara had tried to coax him outside. He had been reluctant and they had argued.

Of course, he had won the argument and had stayed inside the safety of his soul room, while Kisara stormed off, leaving him alone to chew over what she had said.

"Your soul is healed," she had told him. "You no longer need my help. It is time for us to go home." What the heck did she mean?

He spent much of the night staring at the ceiling, pondering his situation.

His mind had been broken and his memories confused. But recently, everything had started to come back into focus. He realised that at first, it had not been possible to leave this room because his soul needed to repair. That process was now complete, but now he was refusing to leave because he could not face the people he had hurt. Kisara was going to leave him soon, whether he stayed or left. He had two choices – stay here alone and let his body remain in a coma until it died, or go back out into the real world and face the people he had harmed. He was no coward, he always faced his problems head on, so why was he hesitating?

Despite laying awake for most of the night, he did not feel tired.

As he watched Kisara sleeping, he felt a strong urge to get out of bed, throw open the doors and leave his sanctuary, but he was afraid that when he did, Kisara would disappear forever.

Kisara yawned and started to wake up. "Seto! You are ready," she muttered knowingly.

"Yes, I am, but I did not wish to leave without saying goodbye. I know that as soon as I leave, you will disappear." He kissed her forehead tenderly. "I love you too much to let you go," he said quietly.

"My love, we will leave together," she smiled holding out her hand. "You should not be sad, my soul will not disappear. I will return to my realm as a Dragon Goddess."

"I understand." Taking her hand, he helped her from the bed and together they walked to the door.

"Are you ready now? Your brother is waiting for you."

"Mokuba... I have missed him. I will miss you too, I wish you could come with me Kisara." He kissed her silky hair.

"I will always be in your heart." She touched his chest and a bright glow emitted where her hand rested.

He watched in stunned awe as her form shimmered and her human form became almost transparent as wings of silver, white and pale blue unfurled from her body and stretched out. Her body grew and he was almost blinded by the light as she transformed into the mighty Blue Eyes White Dragon.

"Amazing!" He smiled. "Kisara! Somewhere in my heart, I always knew you were more than just a picture on a card."

With an ear splitting screech she flew into a vortex and vanished.

"Seto?! Seto?!" He could hear Mokuba's voice calling his name, getting louder. He tried to open his eyes but they were sticky and heavy. Strange colours attacked his retina's, making him blink rapidly.

Gradually, Mokuba's face started to become clearer. The boy was leaning over him, calling to him anxiously.

"M.. M..." Seto tried to form words but after so long sleeping, his mouth and vocal chords refused to cooperate.

"It's okay Seto, don't try to talk yet. Try a few sips of water." He gently tilted Seto's head and dribbled a small amount of water onto Seto's lips.

The liquid was cool and soothing. Seto reached his hand up to take the cup but his arm felt heavy and uncoordinated through lack of use and he ended up knocking the cup and spilling most of it.

"Take it slowly Seto! I will get the nurse." Mokuba hurriedly jumped up and ran off to find the nurse.

Because Seto had been in a coma for well over two months, another nurse had recently been employed so that Yumiko – Seto's usual nurse – could take a few days holiday.

Today was the new nurse's first day and Mokuba thought it a shame that after caring for him for so many weeks Yumiko would miss seeing him wake up!

Mokuba ran outside to where she was eating her lunch. "Seto has woken up!" He shrieked excitedly.

"That's great news Mokuba." The nurse smiled knowingly and abandoned her lunch, to follow Mokuba back upstairs to Seto's room.

They ran inside to find him pulling himself up to sit. "What's all this stuff?!" He was grumbling to himself and pulling off all the monitors that were attached. He yanked the feed tube from his nostril and gagged as he did so, cursing. He was just about to yank out the intravenous line when the nurse ran forward.

"Seto! Stop!" The nurse ran to his bedside.

He immediately paused, with his hand hovering over the needle in the back of his hand and startled. He recognised that voice! No, it couldn't be! "Kisara?!" He rasped, voice box still straining.

"Seto. I am pleased to see you are back in the realm of the living." She smiled with relief.

"But how?!" He gasped.

She leaned forward and whispered in his ear softly. "Magic..."

"Do you two know each other?!" Mokuba was confused.

Seto managed a trademark smirk. "We met in my dreams," he winked at her. "I think we should tell him Kisara."

"I have been watching over Seto while his soul recovered. My soul exists in two halves. My human soul – which you see now – and my Dragon Goddess soul."

"Will you have to leave me again?"

"No. As a reward for protecting you, my human soul has been granted a second life. I will live out my remaining years with you. I will return to my realm when your life ends."

"Second life! What happened to your first?"

"I died at the age of nineteen – the age you see me as now. I was murdered my the High Priest of Darkness, in the same battle that ended the life of the young Pharaoh, Atem. Your friends, Yugi and Atem are his sons."

"Friends," Seto huffed. "They are not my friends."

"That may be, but they saved you from the evil that was controlling you and helped me when I was hurt."

"I did not need saving," he replied indignantly.

"Seto...!" Mokuba groaned, but was relieved that his brother was his same old stubborn self.

"But I'm glad they did," Seto added, reluctantly.

::::::::::::

"Well, I guess I can't put this off, can I?" Mana asked, nervously clutching the little plastic wand. Anzu shook her head. "No! I will wait outside for you."

"What if it's? God! Mahado will kill me if I am pregnant!" She stepped into the bathroom and closed the door.

"Let me know as soon as you are finished, okay?" Anzu called out, nervously twiddling her thumbs as she waited.

"Finished! You can come in now..."

Anzu went in to find Mana sitting on the edge of the bath with her arms folded around herself. "Well?!"

"It's on there. I'm scared to look." She nodded towards the shelf where she had left the testing stick. "It says in the instructions that two blue lines will appear if it is positive."

Anzu picked up the stick and took it over to Mana. As she did she caught sight of the two blue lines.

"Oh...!" Was all Mana could say when she saw. "I don't suppose there is a chance it's wrong?!"

"It will be okay Mana, don't worry." Mana was visibly shaking so Anzu put her arm around her shoulders.

"Mahado will murder me!"

"Never mind your brother, what about Yami? He is the father right?"

"Of course he is! Who else would it be?!" She snapped.

"Sorry! I didn't mean it like that. You have to tell him."

"I don't know if I can. We just got back together and he is still struggling, this will just add to his stress. What if he gets angry and dumps me!" She started to cry.

"Yami might be struggling, but he loves you and would never dump you. It's his baby too remember and I know he would want to be involved."

"Yeah, you're probably right, I'm just over reacting," Mana sniffed.

"We should ring Yami now and ask him to come over."

"Can you? I don't know if I can speak without bursting into tears," Mana asked. Anzu nodded and picked up her phone.

::::::::::::

Yami was sitting playing card games with Yugi. It seemed such a long time ago since the pair of them last played and it felt good to be spending time together.

Yugi's phone started ringing. "Oh! It's Anzu...!" He was worried something was wrong with her so he answered it quickly.

"Anzu?!"

"Hi Yugi." There was definitely some concern in her voice. "Is Yami with you?"

"Yeah, were playing cards. Is everything alright?"

"Of course. Mana and I are back at my house, we wondered if you would both like to come over and hang out."

"Yeah, okay, we'll be there in ten." He hung up. "Fancy going over to Anzu's? The girls are there. Maybe they have a nice surprise for us," he grinned.

When the two arrived, Anzu let them in.

"Mana! What's wrong?!" As soon as Atem saw Mana, he knew something was up.

"Come on Yugi, let's go to our room? Leave them to talk." She grabbed Yugi's arm and pulled him towards the stairs.

"Wha.. What's going on?!" He protested slightly.

"I will tell you when we get upstairs."

"Oh!" Yugi put his hand over his chin when he heard the news. "Well, that's a shock! Yami's gonna be a Dad!"

"Do you think they will be okay?" Anzu worried.

"Normally, I would say they would be fine, but I'm still worried about Yami! I dunno... maybe it will be a good thing."

"I think we should be supportive and do as much as we can for them."

"I'm kinda looking forward to being an uncle," Yugi chuckled.

"Uncle Yugi... Sounds kind of cute." She put her arms around his shoulders and kissed him lovingly.

"You don't want a baby too! Do you?!" He startled, "I don't think I'm ready to be a Dad!"

"Don't be silly, of course not. I have a dancing career to fix first. Maybe in a couple of years."

"Hee... yeah... In a couple of years," he laughed nervously.

Meanwhile, downstairs in the sitting room, Mana was sat on the sofa with Atem.

"Mana?!" Worried she was going to tell him they were through and that she was going back to Egypt, he took her hands nervously.

"I just found out... You know I felt a bit strange lately..." She bit her lip, afraid to look him in the eye.

"What is it? What's wrong?" His voice was shaking slightly.

"I'm pregnant!" She blurted, eyes brimming with tears.

"You're what?! Are you sure?"

She nodded slowly.

How? I mean, I know how... When?"

"I don't know... just after we got back from the island... I think. What are we gonna do?" She started crying.

"Hey! Don't cry..." He wrapped his arms around her. "We will get through this together. I will look after you, I promise."

"I thought you would be angry. I was scared you might leave me..."

"Don't be silly, I would never do that! This is our baby. We will get married and I will get my career back on track so that I can support you and our baby." He tilted her face up to look at him and smiled softly at her with tear filled eyes. "I won't let you down, got that?!"

"Thank you," she nodded and smiled back at him through her tears. "What about Mahado? He will be angry."

"You let me deal with Mahado. I will tell him that I am committed to you."

"Okay..."

"I'm guessing Anzu is the only person who knows. Is she telling Yugi now?"

"Yes," she replied shakily.

"I know we are still young and probably not really ready to be parents, but maybe it is a good thing," he said reassuringly.

"How can it be good? I'm terrified. My mother died when I was born! My parents were Bedouins, there were no hospitals nearby to save her."

"Sorry, I didn't know, you never mentioned it," he said softly. "But this is Japan, not the Egyptian desert. Giving birth is much safer here."

"Yes, I know that, but it still frightens me."

"We will be okay." He gently placed his hand on her tummy. "This little baby growing inside you! We made it, you and me, together," he looked up at her and smiled. "This baby is our future, and I am more in love with you than I can possibly express."

She smiled and cupped his face in her hands. Yes, this was their future and now that she thought about it, she could not be happier.

THE END.

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